Handheld electronic device

ABSTRACT

A portable electronic device includes a front cover, a rear cover, and a housing structure between and coupled to the front cover and the rear cover. The housing structure includes a first housing member defining and a first interlock feature formed along a first end surface. The portable electronic device also includes a second housing member defining a second interlock feature formed along a second end surface. The portable electronic device also includes a nonconductive joining element engaged with the first interlock feature and the second interlock feature, thereby structurally coupling the first housing member to the second housing member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a nonprovisional patent application of and claimsthe benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/943,199, filedDec. 3, 2019 and titled “Handheld Electronic Device,” and U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/946,920, filed Dec. 11, 2019 andtitled “Handheld Electronic Device,” and U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 63/047,760, filed Jul. 2, 2020 and titled “HandheldElectronic Device,” the disclosures of which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD

The subject matter of this disclosure relates generally to handheldelectronic devices, and more particularly, to mobile phones.

BACKGROUND

Modern consumer electronic devices take many shapes and forms, and havenumerous uses and functions. Smartphones, for example, provide variousways for users to interact with other people that extend beyondtelephone communications. Such devices may include numerous systems tofacilitate such interactions. For example, a smartphone may include atouch-sensitive display for providing graphical outputs and foraccepting touch inputs, wireless communications systems for connectingwith other devices to send and receive voice and data content, camerasfor capturing photographs and videos, and so forth. However, integratingthese subsystems into a compact and reliable product that is able towithstand daily use presents a variety of technical challenges. Thesystems and techniques described herein may address many of thesechallenges while providing a device that offers a wide range offunctionality.

SUMMARY

Some example embodiments are directed to a portable electronic devicecomprising: a front cover, a rear cover, and a housing structure betweenand coupled to the front cover and the rear cover. The housing structuremay define a first housing member, a second housing member and anonconductive joining element. the first housing member may include afirst exterior side; a first interior side opposite the first exteriorside; a first end surface extending between the first exterior side andthe first interior side; and a first interlock feature formed along thefirst end surface. The second housing member may define a secondexterior side, a second interior side opposite the second exterior side,a second end surface extending between the second exterior side and thesecond interior side, and a second interlock feature formed along thesecond end surface. The nonconductive joining element may be engagedwith the first interlock feature and the second interlock feature,thereby structurally coupling the first housing member to the secondhousing member.

In some cases, first interlock feature is a recess having a depthbetween about 100 microns and about 1000 microns. In some cases, firstinterlock feature is an elongate recess having a width between about 100microns and about 500 microns, and having a length between about 750microns and about 3000 microns. In some cases, the first interlockfeature is a recess having a width greater than about 100 microns and alength greater than about 1000 microns.

In some embodiments, the first housing member further defines a thirdinterlock feature extending from the first interior side. The secondhousing member may further define a fourth interlock feature extendingfrom the second interior side. The nonconductive joining element may befurther engaged with the third interlock feature and the fourthinterlock feature.

In some cases, the first interlock feature is a recess and the secondinterlock feature is a protrusion. In some cases, the first interlockfeature may be a first protrusion and the second interlock feature is asecond protrusion. In some cases, the first interlock feature is a firstrecess and the second interlock feature is a second recess. The firsthousing member may define a flange extending from the third interlockfeature and positioned along a peripheral side of the front cover. Theflange may define a portion of the first end surface. The firstinterlock feature may be formed in the portion of the first end surfacedefined by the flange. In some implementations, the flange extends fromthe second interlock feature along a direction, and the first interlockfeature defines an elongate recess defined in part by a longitudinalaxis extending along the direction.

Some example embodiments are directed to a portable electronic devicecomprising a front cover, a rear cover, and a housing structure betweenand coupled to the front cover and the rear cover. The housing mayinclude a first housing member defining: a first portion of an exteriorsurface of the housing structure; and a first interlock feature. Thehousing may also include a second housing member defining: a secondportion of the exterior surface of the housing structure; and a secondinterlock feature, the second housing member set apart from the firsthousing member by a channel defining: a first region extending inwardlyfrom the exterior surface of the housing structure along a firstdirection; and a second region extending inwardly from the first regionalong a second direction that is not parallel to the first direction.The housing may also include a nonconductive joining element at leastpartially filling the channel and engaged with the first interlockfeature and the second interlock feature, thereby structurally couplingthe first housing member to the second housing member and defining athird portion of the exterior surface of the housing structure.

In some embodiments, the second region of the channel is at leastpartially defined by the first interlock feature and the secondinterlock feature. The first interlock feature may define a first endsurface defining a first wall of the second region of the channel, andthe second interlock feature may defines a second end surface defining asecond wall of the second region of the channel. In some cases, thefirst end surface is parallel to the second end surface.

In some embodiments, the first interlock feature defines a first lug;the second interlock feature defines a second lug; and a connectorassembly is conductively coupled to the first interlock feature via thefirst lug and conductively coupled to the second interlock feature viathe second lug.

In some embodiments, the connector assembly is conductively coupled tothe first interlock feature via a first threaded fastener; and theconnector assembly is conductively coupled to the second interlockfeature via a second threaded fastener.

In some embodiments, the connector assembly conductively couples thefirst housing member to first antenna circuitry; and the connectorassembly conductively couples the second housing member to secondantenna circuitry.

In some embodiments, the connector assembly comprises: a first conductorconfigured to conductively couple the first housing member to the firstantenna circuitry; a second conductor configured to conductively couplethe second housing member to the second antenna circuitry; and a polymermaterial at least partially encapsulating the first conductor and thesecond conductor.

Some example embodiments are directed to a portable electronic devicecomprising a front cover, a rear cover, and a housing structure betweenand coupled to the front cover and the rear cover. The housing structuremay include a first housing member defining a first sidewall defining: afirst portion of an exterior surface of the portable electronic device;and a first end surface. The first housing member may also define afirst interlock feature extending from the first sidewall and defining asecond end surface extending at a first angle from the first endsurface. The housing structure may also include a second housing memberdefining a second sidewall defining: a second portion of the exteriorsurface of the portable electronic device; and a third end surface. Thesecond housing member may also define a second interlock featureextending from the second sidewall and defining a fourth end surfaceextending at a second angle from the third end surface. The housing mayalso include a nonconductive joining element at least partially fillinga channel defined by the first end surface, the second end surface, thethird end surface, and the fourth end surface, and engaged with thefirst interlock feature and the second interlock feature, therebystructurally coupling the first housing member to the second housingmember. In some implementations, the first end surface is parallel tothe third end surface; and the second end surface is parallel to thefourth end surface.

In some cases, the portable electronic device further comprises aconnector assembly conductively coupled to the first interlock featureand the second interlock feature; and a flexible circuit elementconductively coupled to the connector assembly. The first housing membermay be conductively coupled to first antenna circuitry via the connectorassembly and the flexible circuit element. The second housing member maybe conductively coupled to second antenna circuitry via the connectorassembly and the flexible circuit element. In some embodiments, theportable electronic device further comprises a frame member coupled tothe rear cover and configured to receive a camera module. The flexiblecircuit element may be positioned in a gap defined by the frame memberand the first housing member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be readily understood by the following detaileddescription in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein likereference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:

FIGS. 1A-1B depict an example electronic device;

FIGS. 1C-1D depict another example electronic device;

FIG. 2 depicts an exploded view of an example electronic device;

FIG. 3 depicts an exploded view of an example electronic device;

FIG. 4 depicts an exploded view of an example electronic device;

FIG. 5 depicts an exploded view of an example electronic device;

FIG. 6A depicts a cross-sectional view of a portion of an exampleelectronic device;

FIGS. 6B-6D depict a cross-sectional view of a portion of an exampleelectronic device;

FIG. 6E depicts a cross-sectional view of a portion of an exampleelectronic device;

FIGS. 6F-6I depict cross-sectional views of example front covers for anelectronic device;

FIG. 7 depicts a partial view of an example electronic device;

FIG. 8A depicts an example antenna arrangement for an example electronicdevice;

FIGS. 8B-8D depict example antenna use cases for an example electronicdevice;

FIGS. 9A-9B depict an example side-fired antenna window for anelectronic device;

FIG. 10A depicts an example front-fired antenna for an electronicdevice;

FIG. 10B depicts another example front-fired antenna for an electronicdevice;

FIG. 10C depicts another example front-fired antenna for an electronicdevice;

FIG. 10D depicts a side view of the front-fired antenna of FIG. 10C;

FIG. 10E depicts a perspective view of the front-fired antenna of FIG.10C;

FIG. 11 depicts example antenna feed and ground points for an electronicdevice;

FIG. 12A depicts a partial view of a housing member for an electronicdevice;

FIG. 12B depicts a partial cross-sectional view of a housing of anelectronic device including the housing member of FIG. 12A;

FIG. 12C depicts a partial view of a housing member for an electronicdevice;

FIG. 12D depicts a partial cross-sectional view of a housing of anelectronic device including the housing member of FIG. 12C;

FIG. 12E depicts a partial cross-sectional view of a housing of anelectronic device including the housing members of FIG. 12A and FIG.12C;

FIG. 12F depicts a partial view of an electronic device showing acoupling structure for housing members;

FIG. 12G depicts a partial view of an electronic device showing anothercoupling structure for housing members;

FIG. 12H depicts a partial view of an electronic device showing anothercoupling structure for housing members;

FIG. 13A depicts an exploded view of an example cover and display stackof an electronic device;

FIG. 13B depicts an exploded view of another example cover and displaystack of an electronic device;

FIG. 13C depicts a partial cross-sectional view of an electronic device;

FIG. 13D depicts a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of theelectronic device of FIG. 13C;

FIG. 14A depicts a portion of an electronic device illustrating anexample sensor array;

FIG. 14B depicts an exploded view of a camera portion of an exampleelectronic device;

FIGS. 14C-14D depict partial cross-sectional views of depth sensormodules of an example electronic device;

FIG. 14E depicts a bracket member for camera modules of an electronicdevice;

FIG. 14F depicts a partial cross-sectional view of an example electronicdevice, illustrating aspects of a camera trim structure;

FIG. 14G depicts a portion of an electronic device with a frame memberattached to a housing;

FIG. 14H depicts a partial cross-sectional view of camera modules of anexample electronic device;

FIG. 14I depicts an exploded view of camera components of an exampleelectronic device;

FIG. 14J depicts flexible circuit elements for conductively couplingcomponents of an example electronic device;

FIG. 15A depicts an exploded view of an example camera of an electronicdevice;

FIG. 15B depicts a cross-sectional view of a component of the camera ofFIG. 15A;

FIG. 16A depicts a flash module of an example electronic device;

FIG. 16B depicts a partial cross-sectional view of the flash module ofFIG. 16A;

FIG. 16C depicts a partial cross-sectional view of another example flashmodule;

FIG. 16D depicts a process of assembling flash modules;

FIG. 17A depicts a partial cross-sectional view of an example electronicdevice;

FIGS. 17B-17G depict partial cross-sectional views of housing membersand cover configurations for electronic devices;

FIGS. 17H-17I depict partial cross-sectional views of covers forelectronic devices;

FIG. 18 depicts a partial view of an interior of an example electronicdevice;

FIG. 19A depicts an example haptic actuator for an example electronicdevice;

FIG. 19B depicts another example haptic actuator for an exampleelectronic device;

FIG. 20A depicts a partial cross-sectional view of a speaker portion ofan example electronic device;

FIG. 20B depicts an exploded view of the electronic device of FIG. 20A;

FIG. 20C depicts a partial cross-sectional view of a speaker portion ofan example electronic device;

FIG. 20D depicts an example sealing assembly for a speaker of an exampleelectronic device;

FIG. 21A depicts an example component assembly positioned along an upperregion of a display;

FIG. 21B depicts a partial exploded view of the component assembly ofFIG. 21A;

FIG. 21C depicts a partial cross-sectional view of a flood illuminator;

FIG. 21D depicts another partial cross-sectional view of the floodilluminator;

FIG. 21E depicts an example light transmissive component for a floodilluminator;

FIG. 21F depicts another example light transmissive component for aflood illuminator;

FIG. 21G depicts an ambient light sensor;

FIG. 21H depicts an exploded view of the ambient light sensor of FIG.21G;

FIG. 21I depicts another example ambient light sensor;

FIGS. 22A-22C depict an example battery for an electronic device;

FIGS. 22D-22E depict partial cross-sectional views of example batteries;

FIG. 23A depicts an example logic board for an electronic device;

FIG. 23B depicts an exploded view of the logic board of FIG. 23A;

FIG. 23C depicts a back view of the logic board of FIG. 23A;

FIG. 23D depicts a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of thelogic board of FIG. 23A;

FIG. 23E depicts a partial cross-sectional view of another portion ofthe logic board of FIG. 23A;

FIG. 23F depicts a partial cross-sectional view of another portion ofthe logic board of FIG. 23A;

FIGS. 24A-24C depict exploded views of example multi-layerconfigurations for electronic components of an electronic device; and

FIG. 25 depicts a schematic diagram of an example electronic device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to representative embodimentsillustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood thatthe following descriptions are not intended to limit the embodiments toone preferred embodiment. To the contrary, it is intended to coveralternatives, modifications, and equivalents as can be included withinthe spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by theappended claims.

Mobile phones as described herein may include complex, sophisticatedcomponents and systems that facilitate a multitude of functions. Forexample, mobile phones according to the instant disclosure may includetouch- and/or force-sensitive displays, numerous cameras (including bothfront- and rear-facing cameras), GPS systems, haptic actuators, wirelesscharging systems, and all requisite computing components and software tooperate these (and other) systems and otherwise provide thefunctionality of the mobile phones.

FIG. 1A shows an example electronic device 100 embodied as a mobilephone. While the device 100 is a mobile phone, the concepts presentedherein may apply to any appropriate electronic devices, includingportable electronic devices, wearable devices (e.g., watches), laptopcomputers, handheld gaming devices, tablet computers, computingperipherals (e.g., mice, touchpads, keyboards), or any other device.Accordingly, any reference to an “electronic device” encompasses any andall of the foregoing.

The electronic device 100 includes a cover 102 (e.g., a front cover),such as a glass, glass-ceramic, ceramic, plastic, sapphire, or othersubstantially transparent material, component, or assembly, attached toa housing 104 (which may include a housing structure defined by one ormore housing members). The cover 102 may be positioned over a display103. The cover 102 may be formed from glass (e.g., a chemicallystrengthened glass), sapphire, ceramic, glass-ceramic, plastic, oranother suitable material. The cover 102 may be formed as a monolithicor unitary sheet. The cover 102 may also be formed as a composite ofmultiple layers of different materials, coatings, and other elements.

The display 103 may be at least partially positioned within the interiorvolume of the housing 104. The display 103 may be coupled to the cover102, such as via an adhesive or other coupling scheme. The display 103may include a liquid-crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode, anorganic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, an active layer organiclight emitting diode (AMOLED) display, an organic electroluminescent(EL) display, an electrophoretic ink display, or the like. The display103 may be configured to display graphical outputs, such as graphicaluser interfaces, that the user may view and interact with. The device100 may also include an ambient light sensor that can determineproperties of the ambient light conditions surrounding the device 100.The device 100 may use information from the ambient light sensor tochange, modify, adjust, or otherwise control the display 103 (e.g., bychanging a hue, brightness, saturation, or other optical aspect of thedisplay based on information from the ambient light sensor).

The display 103 may include or be associated with one or more touch-and/or force-sensing systems. In some cases, components of the touch-and/or force-sensing systems are integrated with the display stack. Forexample, electrode layers of a touch and/or force sensor may be providedin a stack that includes display components (and is optionally attachedto or at least viewable through the cover 102). The touch- and/orforce-sensing systems may use any suitable type of sensing technology,including capacitive sensors, resistive sensors, surface acoustic wavesensors, piezoelectric sensors, strain gauges, or the like. The outer orexterior surface of the cover 102 may define an input surface (e.g., atouch- and/or force-sensitive input surface) of the device. While bothtouch- and force-sensing systems may be included, in some cases thedevice 100 includes a touch-sensing system and does not include aforce-sensing system.

The device 100 may also include a front-facing camera 106. Thefront-facing camera 106 may be positioned below or otherwise coveredand/or protected by the cover 102. The front-facing camera 106 may haveany suitable operational parameters. For example, the front-facingcamera 106 may include a 12 megapixel sensor (with 1 micron pixel size),and an 80-90° field of view. The front-facing camera 106 may have fixedfocus optical elements with an aperture number of f/2.2. Other types ofcameras may also be used for the front-facing camera 106.

The device 100 may also include one or more buttons (e.g., buttons 116,120), switches (e.g., switch 118), and/or other physical input systems.Such input systems may be used to control power states (e.g., the button120), change speaker volume (e.g., the buttons 116), switch between“ring” and “silent” modes, and the like (e.g., the switch 118).

The device 100 may also include a speaker port 110 to provide audiooutput to a user, such as to a user's ear during voice calls. Thespeaker port 110 may also be referred to as an earpiece in the contextof a mobile phone. The device 100 may also include a charging port 112(e.g., for receiving a power cable for providing power to the device 100and charging the battery of the device 100). The device 100 may alsoinclude audio openings 114. The audio openings 114 may allow soundoutput from an internal speaker system (e.g., the speaker system 224,FIG. 2 ) to exit the housing 104. The device 100 may also include one ormore microphones. In some cases, a microphone within the housing 104 maybe acoustically coupled to the surrounding environment through an audioopening 114.

The housing 104 may be a multi-piece housing. For example, the housing104 may be formed from multiple housing members 124, 125, 126, 127, 128,and 130, which are structurally coupled together via one or more jointstructures 122 (e.g., 122-1-122-6). Together, the housing members 124,125, 126, 127, 128, and 130 and the joint structures 122 may define aband-like housing structure that defines four side walls (and thus fourexterior side surfaces) of the device 100. Thus, both the housingmembers and the joint structures define portions of the exterior sidesurfaces of the device 100.

The housing members 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, and 130 may be formed of aconductive material (e.g., a metal such as aluminum, stainless steel, orthe like), and the joint structures 122 may be formed of one or morepolymer materials (e.g., glass-reinforced polymer). The joint structures122 may include two or more molded elements, which may be formed ofdifferent materials. For example, an inner molded element may be formedof a first material (e.g., a polymer material), and an outer moldedelement may be formed of a second material that is different from thefirst (e.g., a different polymer material). The materials may havedifferent properties, which may be selected based on the differentfunctions of the inner and outer molded elements. For example, the innermolded element may be configured to make the main structural connectionbetween housing members, and may have a higher mechanical strengthand/or toughness than the outer molded element. On the other hand, theouter molded element may be configured to have a particular appearance,surface finish, chemical resistance, water-sealing function, or thelike, and its composition may be selected to prioritize those functionsover mechanical strength.

In some cases, one or more of the housing members 124, 125, 126, 127,128, and 130 (or portions thereof) are configured to operate as antennas(e.g., members that are configured to transmit and/or receiveelectromagnetic waves to facilitate wireless communications with othercomputers and/or devices). To facilitate the use of the housing membersas antennas, feed and ground lines may be conductively coupled to thehousing members to couple the housing members to other antennas and/orcommunication circuitry. FIG. 11 , described in more detail below,depicts example antenna feed and ground lines for an example device.Further, the joint structures 122 may be substantially non-conductive toprovide suitable separation and/or electrical isolation between thehousing members (which may be used to tune the radiating portions,reduce capacitive coupling between radiating portions and otherstructures, and the like). In addition to the housing members 124, 125,126, 127, 128, and 130, the device 100 may also include various internalantenna elements that are configured to transmit and receive wirelesscommunication signals through various regions of the housing 104. Asshown in FIG. 1A, the device 100 may include an antenna window 129 thatallows for the passage of radio-frequency communication signals througha corresponding region of the housing 104.

The joint structures 122 may be mechanically interlocked with thehousing members to structurally couple the housing members and form astructural housing assembly. Further details about the joint structures122 and their mechanical integration with the housing members areprovided herein.

The exterior surfaces of the housing members 124, 125, 126, 127, 128,and 130 may have substantially a same color, surface texture, andoverall appearance as the exterior surfaces of the joint structures 122.In some cases, the exterior surfaces of the housing members 124, 125,126, 127, 128, and 130 and the exterior surfaces of the joint structures122 are subjected to at least one common finishing procedure, such asabrasive-blasting, machining, polishing, grinding, or the like.Accordingly, the exterior surfaces of the housing members and the jointstructures may have a same or similar surface finish (e.g., surfacetexture, roughness, pattern, etc.). In some cases, the exterior surfacesof the housing members and the joint structures may be subjected to atwo-stage blasting process to produce the target surface finish.

FIG. 1B illustrates a back side of the device 100. The device 100 mayinclude a back or rear cover 132 coupled to the housing 104 and definingat least a portion of the exterior rear surface of the device 100. Therear cover 132 may include a substrate formed of glass, though othersuitable materials may alternatively be used (e.g., plastic, sapphire,ceramic, glass-ceramic, etc.). The rear cover 132 may include one ormore decorative layers on the exterior or interior surface of thesubstrate. For example, one or more opaque layers may be applied to theinterior surface of the substrate (or otherwise positioned along theinterior surface of the substrate) to provide a particular appearance tothe back side of the device 100. The opaque layer(s) may include asheet, ink, dye, or combinations of these (or other) layers, materials,or the like. In some cases the opaque layer(s) have a color thatsubstantially matches a color of the housing 104 (e.g., the exteriorsurfaces of the housing members and the joint structures). The device100 may include a wireless charging system, whereby the device 100 canbe powered and/or its battery recharged by an inductive (or otherelectromagnetic) coupling between a charger and a wireless chargingsystem within the device 100. In such cases, the rear cover 132 may beformed of a material that allows and/or facilitates the wirelesscoupling between the charger and the wireless charging system (e.g.,glass).

The device 100 may also include a sensor array 134, which may includevarious types of sensors, including one or more rear-facing cameras,depth sensing devices, flashes, microphones, and the like. The sensorarray 134 may be at least partially defined by a protrusion 137 thatextends from the rear of the device 100. The protrusion 137 may define aportion of the rear exterior surface of the device 100. In some cases,the protrusion 137 may be formed by attaching a piece of material (e.g.,glass) to another piece of material (e.g., glass). In other cases, therear cover 132 may include a monolithic structure, and the protrusion137 may be part of the monolithic structure. For example, the rear cover132 may include a monolithic glass structure (or glass ceramicstructure) that defines the protrusion 137 as well as the surroundingarea. In such cases, the protrusion 137 may be an area of increasedthickness of the monolithic structure, or it may be molded into asubstantially uniform thickness monolithic structure (e.g., and maycorrespond to a recessed region along an interior side of the monolithicstructure).

The device may also include, as part of the sensor array, one or morerear-facing devices 138, which may include an ambient-light sensor(ALS), a microphone, and/or a depth sensing device that is configured toestimate a distance between the device 100 and a separate object ortarget. The sensor array 134 may include a camera with a 12 megapixelsensor, and a variable-focus lens with an aperture number of f/1.6. Thesensor array 134 may also include multiple cameras including: a wideview camera having a 12 megapixel sensor and an aperture number off/1.6; a super-wide camera having a 12 megapixel sensor and a wide fieldof view (e.g., 120° FOV) optical stack with an aperture number of f/2.4;and a telephoto lens having a 12 megapixel sensor with a 2× optical zoomoptical stack having an aperture number ranging from f/2.0 to f/2.2. Oneor more of the cameras of the sensor array 134 may also include opticalimage stabilization, whereby the lens is dynamically moved relative to afixed structure within the device 100 to reduce the effects of “camerashake” on images captured by the camera. The camera may also performoptical image stabilization by moving the image sensor relative to afixed lens or optical assembly.

The sensor array 134, along with associated processors and software, mayprovide several image-capture features. For example, the sensor array134 may be configured to capture full-resolution video clips of acertain duration each time a user captures a still image. As usedherein, capturing full-resolution images (e.g., video images or stillimages) may refer to capturing images using all or substantially all ofthe pixels of an image sensor, or otherwise capturing images using themaximum resolution of the camera (regardless of whether the maximumresolution is limited by the hardware or software).

The captured video clips may be associated with the still image. In somecases, users may be able to select individual frames from the video clipas the representative still image associated with the video clip. Inthis way, when the user takes a snapshot of a scene, the camera willactually record a short video clip (e.g., 1 second, 2 seconds, or thelike), and the user can select the exact frame from the video to use asthe captured still image (in addition to simply viewing the video clipas a video).

The sensor array 134 may also include one or more cameras having ahigh-dynamic-range (HDR) mode, in which the camera captures imageshaving a dynamic range of luminosity that is greater than what iscaptured when the camera is not in the HDR mode. In some cases, thesensor array 134 automatically determines whether to capture images inan HDR or non-HDR mode. Such determination may be based on variousfactors, such as the ambient light of the scene, detected ranges ofluminosity, tone, or other optical parameters in the scene, or the like.HDR images may be produced by capturing multiple images, each usingdifferent exposure or other image-capture parameters, and producing acomposite image from the multiple captured images.

The sensor array 134 may also include or be configured to operate in anobject detection mode, in which a user can select (and/or the device 100can automatically identify) objects within a scene to facilitate thoseobjects being processed, displayed, or captured differently than otherparts of the scene. For example, a user may select (or the device 100may automatically identify) a person's face in a scene, and the device100 may focus on the person's face while selectively blurring theportions of the scene other than the person's face. Notably, featuressuch as the HDR mode and the object detection mode may be provided witha single camera (e.g., a single lens and sensor).

The sensor array may include a flash 136 that is configured toilluminate a scene to facilitate capturing images with the sensor array134. The flash 136 may include one or more light sources, such as one ormore light emitting diodes (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, or more LEDs). The flash136, in conjunction with the sensor array 134 or other systems of thedevice 100, may adjust the color temperature of the light emitted by thelight sources in order to match or otherwise adapt to a colortemperature within a scene being captured. The device 100 may also beconfigured to operate the flash 136 and the shutter of the sensor array134 to avoid consequences of flash “flicker.” For example, the device100 may avoid capturing exposures during moments where the flash 136 isat a period of no or low illumination (e.g., which may be caused bydiscontinuous or pulsed operation of the LEDs).

FIGS. 1C and 1D show another example electronic device 140 embodied as amobile phone. The electronic device 140 may have many of the same orsimilar outward-facing components as the electronic device 100.Accordingly, descriptions and details of such components from FIGS.1A-1B (e.g., displays, buttons, switches, housings, covers, chargingports, joint structures, etc.) apply equally to the correspondingcomponents shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D.

While the device 100 in FIG. 1B is shown as including a sensor array 134with two cameras, the device 140 as shown in FIG. 1D includes a sensorarray 141 that includes three cameras (as shown, for example, in FIGS. 3and 5 , described herein). The sensor array 141 may be in a sensor arrayregion that is defined by a protrusion 151 in a rear cover of the device140. The protrusion 151 may have the same or similar construction as theprotrusion 137 in FIG. 1B.

The sensor array 141 may also include a depth sensing device 149 that isconfigured to estimate a distance between the device and a separateobject or target. For example, a first camera 142 may include a 12megapixel sensor and a telephoto lens with a 2× or 2.5× optical zoom andan aperture number of f/2.0; a second camera 144 may include a 12megapixel sensor and a wide angle lens having an aperture number off/1.6; and a third camera 146 may include a 12 megapixel sensor and asuper-wide camera with a wide field of view (e.g., 120° FOV) and anaperture number of f/2.4. The depth sensing device 149 may estimate adistance between the device and a separate object or target using lasersand time-of-flight calculations, or using other types of depth sensingcomponents or techniques. One or more of the cameras of the sensor array141 may also include optical image stabilization, whereby the lens isdynamically moved relative to a fixed structure within the device 100 toreduce the effects of “camera shake” on images captured by the camera.The camera may also perform optical image stabilization by moving theimage sensor relative to a fixed lens or optical assembly.

The device 140 may also include a flash 148 that is configured toilluminate a scene to facilitate capturing images with the cameras ofthe sensor array 141. The flash 148 is configured to illuminate a sceneto facilitate capturing images with the sensor array 141. The flash 148may include one or more light sources, such as one or more lightemitting diodes (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, or more LEDs).

The sensor array 141 may also include a microphone 150. The microphone150 may be acoustically coupled to the exterior environment through ahole defined in the rear cover of the device 140 (e.g., through theportion of the rear cover that defines the protrusion 151).

Other details about the sensor array, the individual cameras of thesensor array, and/or the flash described with respect to the device 100may be applicable to the sensor array, the individual cameras, and/orthe flash of the device 140, and such details will not be repeated hereto avoid redundancy.

FIG. 2 depicts an exploded view of an example electronic device. Inparticular, FIG. 2 depicts an exploded view of a device 200, showingvarious components of the device 200 and example arrangements andconfigurations of the components. The description of the variouscomponents and elements of device 100 of FIGS. 1A and 1B may also beapplicable to the device 200 depicted in FIG. 2 . A redundantdescription of some of the components is not repeated herein forclarity.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the device 200 includes a cover 202 (e.g., a frontcover), which may be formed of glass, ceramic, or other transparentsubstrate. In this example, the cover 202 may be formed from a glass orglass-ceramic material. A glass-ceramic material may include bothamorphous and crystalline or non-amorphous phases of one or morematerials and may be formulated to improve strength or other propertiesof the cover 202. In some cases, the cover 202 may include a sheet ofchemically strengthened glass or glass-ceramic having one or morecoatings including an anti-reflective (AR) coating, an oleophobiccoating, or other type of coating or optical treatment. In some cases,the cover 202 includes a sheet of material that is less than 1 mm thick.In some cases, the sheet of material is less than 0.80 mm. In somecases, the sheet of material is approximately 0.60 mm or less. The cover202 may be chemically strengthened using an ion exchange process to forma compressive stress layer along exterior surfaces of the cover 202.

The cover 202 extends over a substantial entirety of the front surfaceof the device and may be positioned within an opening defined by thehousing 210. As described in more detail below, the edges or sides ofthe cover 202 may be surrounded by a protective flange or lip of thehousing 210 without an interstitial component between the edges of thecover 202 and the respective flanges of the housing 210. Thisconfiguration may allow an impact or force applied to the housing 210 tobe transferred to the cover 202 without directly transferring shearstress through the display 203 or frame 204.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the display 203 is attached to an internal surfaceof the cover 202. The display 203 may include an edge-to-edge organiclight emitting diode (OLED) display that measures 13.7 cm (5.4 inches)corner-to-corner. The perimeter or non-active area of the display 203may be reduced to allow for very thin device borders around the activearea of the display 203. In some cases, the display 203 allows forborder regions of 1.5 mm or less. In some cases, the display 203 allowsfor border regions of 1 mm or less. In one example implementation, theborder region is approximately 0.9 mm. The display 203 may have arelatively high pixel density of approximately 450 pixels per inch (PPI)or greater. In some cases, the display 203 has a pixel density ofapproximately 475 PPI. The display 203 may have an integrated (on-cell)touch-sensing system. For example, an array of electrodes that areintegrated into the OLED display may be time and/or frequencymultiplexed in order to provide both display and touch-sensingfunctionality. The electrodes may be configured to detect a location ofa touch, a gesture input, multi-touch input, or other types of touchinput along the external surface of the cover 202. In some cases, thedisplay 203 includes another type of display element, such as aliquid-crystal display (LCD) without an integrated touch-sensing system.That is, the device 200 may include one or more touch- and/orforce-sensing layers that are positioned between the display 203 and thecover 202.

The display 203, also referred to as a display stack, may includealways-on-display (AOD) functionality. For example, the display 203 maybe configurable to allow designated regions or subsets of pixels to bedisplayed when the device 200 is powered on such that graphical contentis visible to the user even when the device 200 is in a low-power orsleep mode. This may allow the time, date, battery status, recentnotifications, and other graphical content to be displayed in alower-power or sleep mode. This graphical content may be referred to aspersistent or always-on graphical output. While some battery power maybe consumed when displaying persistent or always-on graphical output,the power consumption is typically less than during normal or full-poweroperation of the display 203. This functionality may be enabled by onlyoperating a subset of the display pixels and/or at a reduced resolutionin order to reduce power consumption by the display 203.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the device 200 may also include a frame member 204,also referred to simply as a frame 204, that is positioned below thecover 202 and that extends around an outer periphery of the display 203.A perimeter of the frame 204 may be attached to a lower or inner surfaceof the cover 202. A portion of the frame 204 may extend below thedisplay 203 and may attach the cover 202 to the housing 210. Because thedisplay 203 is attached to a lower or inner surface of the cover 202,the frame 204 may also be described as attaching both the display 203and the cover 202 to the housing 210. The frame 204 may be formed of apolymer material, metal material, or combination of polymer and metalmaterials. The frame 204 may support elements of the display stack,provide anchor points for flexible circuits, and/or be used to mountother components and device elements. In some cases, the frame 204includes one or more metal or conductive elements that provide shieldingbetween device components, such as between the display stack (includingdisplay components and touch sensor components) and other componentslike the haptic actuator 222, the speaker system 224, and the like.

The cover 202, display stack 203, and frame member 204 may be part of atop module 201 of the device 200. The top module 201 may be assembled asa subassembly, which may then be attached to a housing member. Forexample, as described herein, the display 203 may be attached to thecover 202 (e.g., via a transparent adhesive), and the frame member 204may be attached (e.g., via adhesive) to the cover around a periphery ofthe display stack 203. The top module 201 may then be attached to ahousing member of the device 200 by mounting and adhering the framemember 204 to a ledge defined by the housing member.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the device 200 also includes one or more cameras,light emitters, and/or sensing elements that are configured to transmitsignals, receive signals, or otherwise operate along the front surfaceof the device. In this example, the device 200 includes a front camera206 that includes a high-resolution camera sensor. The front camera 206may have a 12 megapixel resolution sensor with optical elements thatprovide a fixed focus and an 85° field of view. The device 200 alsoincludes a facial recognition sensor 252 that may be used to detect orcapture a unique signature or bio-identifier (e.g., by projecting apattern of dots onto a user's face and capturing an image of the user'sface with the projected dots), which may be used to identify the userand unlock the device 200 or authorize functionality on the device 200like the purchase of software apps or the use of payment functionalityprovided by the device 200.

The device may also include one or more other sensors or elements thatare integrated into a front-facing sensor array 250. For example, thefront-facing sensor array 250 may include a front light illuminatorelement for providing a flash or illumination for the front camera 206.The front-facing sensor array 250 may also include an ambient lightsensor (ALS) that is used to detect ambient light conditions for settingexposure aspects of the front camera 206. The front-facing sensor array250 may also include an antenna array that is configured to transmit andreceive wireless communications along the front surface of the device200. The antenna array may include antenna elements that are configuredto conduct a 5G wireless protocol that may include mm wave and/or 6 GHzcommunication signals. The antenna array may include multiple antennaelements and may be configured to use beam-forming and other similartechniques to facilitate 5G wireless communication. As used herein, anantenna element may refer to a component that is configured (e.g.,tuned) to resonate at a particular frequency or frequency band. Antennaelements may be formed from any suitable component or material, such asconductors (e.g., wires, metallic traces, metal housing segments),ceramics, or the like.

FIG. 2 also illustrates one or more cameras, light emitters, and/orsensing elements that are configured to transmit signals, receivesignals, or otherwise operate along the rear surface of the device. Asdepicted in FIG. 2 , these elements may be part of a sensor array 260.In this example, the sensor array 260 includes a first camera 261 havinga 12 megapixel image sensor and a wide angle lens with an aperturenumber of f/1.6. The first camera 261 also includes a dual photodiodesensor having an APS+ sensor format. The sensor array 260 also includesa second camera 262 having a 12 megapixel image sensor and a super-wideangle lens (120° FOV) with an aperture number of f/2.4. The sensor array260 also includes a light illuminator that may be used as a flash forphotography or as an auxiliary light source (e.g., a flashlight). Thesensor array 260 also features an integrated chassis design thatminimizes space while providing the precision alignment required formultiple high-resolution cameras. In some cases, the sensor array 260also includes a microphone, an ambient light sensor, and other sensorsthat are adapted to sense along the rear surface of the device 200.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the cameras 261 and 262 may be aligned with cameracovers 263 and 264, respectively. The covers 263, 264 may be formed froma glass, glass-ceramic, or sapphire material and may provide a clearwindow through which the cameras 261, 262 are able to capture aphotographic image. In other cases, the covers 263, 264 are opticallenses that filter, magnify, or otherwise condition light received bythe respective camera 261, 262. The other sensing or transmittingelements of the sensor array 260 may transmit and/or receive signalsthrough a region of the rear cover 272 or through a separate cover thatis coupled to the rear cover 272. As shown in FIG. 2 , the covers 263,264 may extend beyond the exterior surface of the cover 272, and maydefine a recess along the interior side of the cover 272, such that thelens or other element of the cameras 261 and 262 can extend into therespective recesses. In this way, the device 200 may accommodate alarger lens or other elements of the cameras 261 and 262 than would bepossible if the recess were not provided.

The device 200 also includes a battery 230. The battery 230 provideselectrical power to the device 200 and its various systems andcomponents. The battery 230 may include a 4.45 V lithium ion batterythat is encased in a foil or other enclosing element (e.g., a pouch).The battery 230 may be attached to the device 200 (e.g., to the chassis219) with one or more adhesives and/or other attachment techniques. Inone example, the battery 230 may be attached to the chassis 219, oranother structure of the device 200, with a two-layer adhesive, where afirst adhesive is adhered to the battery 230 and to a second adhesive,and the second adhesive is bonded to the first adhesive and to thechassis 219 (or other structure of the device 200). The first and secondadhesives may have different properties, such as different stiffness(e.g., Young's modulus), different adhesive properties, or the like. Forexample, in some cases, the first adhesive is configured to adhere tothe material of the battery 230 (e.g., with a bond strength above athreshold value), while the second adhesive is configured to adhere tothe chassis 219 or other structure of the device (e.g., with a bondstrength above the threshold value). In such cases, the first adhesivemay not form a sufficiently strong bond with the chassis 219, and thesecond adhesive may not form a sufficiently strong bond with the battery230, though the first and second adhesives may form a sufficientlystrong bond with one another. Accordingly, by using the two differentadhesives (e.g., in the layered configuration described) to ultimatelysecure the battery 230 to the chassis 219, the overall strength and/orsecurity of the attachment may be greater than if a single adhesive wereused.

The battery 230 may be recharged via the charging port 232 (e.g., from apower cable plugged into the charging port 232), and/or via a wirelesscharging system 240. The battery 230 may be coupled to the charging port232 and/or the wireless charging system 240 via battery controlcircuitry that controls the power provided to the battery and the powerprovided by the battery to the device 200. The battery 230 may includeone or more lithium ion battery cells or any other suitable type ofrechargeable battery element.

The charging system 240 may include a coil that inductively couples toan output or transmitting coil of a wireless charger. The coil mayprovide current to the device 200 to charge the battery 230 and/or powerthe device. In this example, the charging system 240 includes a coilassembly 242 that includes multiple wraps of a conductive wire or otherconduit that is configured to produce a (charging) current in responseto being placed in an inductive charging electromagnetic field producedby a separate wireless charging device or accessory. The coil assembly242 also includes an array of magnetic elements that are arranged in acircular or radial pattern. The magnetic elements may help to locate thedevice 200 with respect to a separate wireless charging device or otheraccessory. In some implementations, the array of magnets also help toradially locate, orient, or “clock” the device 200 with respect to theseparate wireless charging device or other accessory. For example, thearray of magnets may include multiple magnetic elements havingalternating magnetic polarity that are arranged in a radial pattern. Themagnetic elements may be arranged to provide a magnetic coupling to theseparate charging device in a particular orientation or set of discreteorientations to help locate the device 200 with respect to the separatecharging device or other accessory. This functionality may be describedas self-aligning or self-locating wireless charging. As shown in FIG. 2, the device 200 also includes a magnetic fiducial 244 for helping tolocate the separate wireless charging device or accessory. In oneexample, the magnetic fiducial 244 is adapted to magnetically couple toa cable or power cord of the separate wireless charging device or otheraccessory. By coupling to the cable or power cord, the rotationalalignment of the device 200 and the separate wireless charging device orother accessory may be maintained with respect to an absolute or singleposition. Also, by magnetically coupling the cable or cord to the rearsurface of the device 200, the charging device or other accessory may bemore securely coupled to the device 200.

The device 200 may also include a speaker system 224. The speaker system224 may be positioned in the device 200 so that a respective speakerport 225 is aligned with or otherwise proximate an audio output of thespeaker system 224. Accordingly, sound that is output by the speakersystem 224 exits the housing 210 via the respective speaker port 225.The speaker system 224 may include a speaker positioned in a housingthat defines a speaker volume (e.g., an empty space in front of orbehind a speaker diaphragm). The speaker volume may be used to tune theaudio output from the speaker and optionally mitigate destructiveinterference of the sound produced by the speaker. The speaker system224 may include left and right speakers that are aligned with left andright speaker ports 225, respectively, in order to produce stereo sound.

The device 200 may also include a haptic actuator 222. The hapticactuator 222 may include a movable mass and an actuation system that isconfigured to move the mass to produce a haptic output. The actuationsystem may include one or more coils and one or more magnets (e.g.,permanent and/or electromagnets) that interact to produce motion. Themagnets may be or may include recycled magnetic material. As describedherein, the haptic actuator 222 may have a profile or enclosure shapethat facilitates physical integration with the battery 230 and othercomponents of the device 200 in order to minimize space and/or maximizethe size of the battery.

When the coil(s) are energized, the coil(s) may cause the mass to move,which results in a force being imparted on the device 200. The motion ofthe mass may be configured to cause a vibration, pulse, tap, or othertactile output detectable via an exterior surface of the device 200. Thehaptic actuator 222 may be configured to move the mass linearly, thoughother movements (e.g., rotational) are also contemplated. Other types ofhaptic actuators may be used instead of or in addition to the hapticactuator 222.

The device 200 also includes a logic board 220 (also referred to hereinas a circuit board assembly). The logic board 220 may include asubstrate, and processors, memory, and other circuit elements coupled tothe substrate. The logic board 220 may include multiple circuitsubstrates that are stacked and coupled together in order to maximizethe area available for electronic components and circuitry in a compactform factor. The logic board 220 may include provisions for a subscriberidentity module (SIM). The logic board 220 may include electricalcontacts and/or a SIM tray assembly for receiving a physical SIM cardand/or the logic board 220 may include provisions for an electronic SIM.The logic board 220 may be wholly or partially encapsulated to reducethe chance of damage due to an ingress of water or other fluid.

The logic board 220 may also include a liquid detection circuit 227 thatis located proximate to the charging opening 226 or other opening in thehousing 210. The liquid detection circuit 227 may include a resistive orconductive sensor that is configured to electrically detect moistureabove a given threshold and transmit a signal to the processor in orderto record a liquid exposure event. The liquid detection circuit 227 mayalso include a visual element that changes color or provides some othervisual indicia when exposed to moisture above a certain threshold. Insome cases, the liquid detection circuit 227 is positioned within asealed internal volume of a waterproof or water resistant device and isconfigured to detect liquid ingress due to a mechanical breach of thehousing 210 or physical damage to the device 200.

The logic board 220 may also include wireless communications circuitry,which may be coupled to and/or otherwise use the housing members 211,212, 213, 214, 215, or 216 (or portions thereof) as radiating members toprovide wireless communications. The logic board 220 may also includecomponents such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, near-field-communicationscircuitry and/or antennas, compasses, and the like.

The housing 210 may also include a chassis 219, which may be attached tothe housing 210. The chassis 219 may be formed of metal, and may act asa structural mounting point for components of the device 200. Thechassis 219 may define an opening that corresponds to the size of thecoil assembly 242 of the wireless charging system 240, such that thechassis 219 does not shield the wireless coil assembly 242 or otherwisenegatively affect the inductive coupling between the coil of thecharging system 240 and an external wireless charger or accessory.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the housing may include a cover 272 (e.g., rear orback cover) that may define a substantial entirety of the rear surfaceof the device 200. The cover 272 may be formed from a glass (orglass-ceramic) substrate having portions that are less than 1 mm thick.In some cases, the sheet substrate has portions that are less than 0.80mm. In some cases, the glass substrate has portions that areapproximately 0.60 mm or less. The cover 272 may have a uniformthickness or, in some cases, may have a thickened or raised portion thatsurrounds the camera covers 263, 264. The cover 272 may be machined(e.g., ground) into a final shape before being polished and/or texturedto provide the desired surface finish. The texture may be speciallyconfigured to provide a matte appearance while also being resistant tocollecting a buildup of skin, lint, or other debris. A series ofcosmetic layers may be formed along the inner surface of the cover 272to provide a desired optical effect and final color of the device 200.

Similar to as described above with respect to cover 202, the cover 272may be positioned at least partially within an opening defined in thehousing 210. Also similar to as described above with respect to cover202, the edges or sides of the cover 272 may be surrounded by aprotective flange or lip of the housing 210 without an interstitialcomponent between the edges of the cover 272 and the respective flangesof the housing 210. The cover 272 is typically chemically strengthenedusing an ion exchange process to form a compressive stress layer alongexterior surfaces of the cover 272.

As described above, the housing 210 may include housing members 211,212, 213, 214, 215, and 216 structurally joined together via jointstructures 218. FIG. 2 illustrates how the joint structures 218 mayextend over inner surfaces of the housing members. More particularly, aportion of the joint structures 218 may contact, cover, encapsulate,and/or engage with retention features of the housing members that extendfrom the inner surfaces of the housing members.

Housing members 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, and 216 may also be referred toherein as housing segments and may be formed from aluminum, stainlesssteel, or other metal or metal alloy material. As described herein, thehousing members 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, and 216 may provide a robustand impact resistant sidewall for the device 200. In the presentexample, the housing members 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, and 216 define aflat sidewall that extends around the perimeter of the device 200. Theflat sidewall may include rounded or chamfered edges that define theupper and lower edges of the sidewall of the housing 210. The housingmembers 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, and 216 may each have a flange portionor lip that extends around and at least partially covers a respectiveside of the front and rear covers 202, 272. There may be no interstitialmaterial or elements between the flange portion or lip and therespective side surface of the front and rear covers 202, 272. This mayallow forces or impacts that are applied to the housing 210 to betransferred to the front and rear covers 202, 272 without affecting thedisplay or other internal structural elements, which may improve thedrop performance of the device 200.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the device 200 includes multiple antennas that maybe adapted to conduct wireless communication using a 5G communicationprotocol. In particular, the device 200 may include a (front-fired)antenna array 286 that is positioned near the earpiece of the device 200and configured to transmit and receive wireless communication signalsthrough the cover 202. The device 200 may also include a (side-fired)antenna array 282 that is configured to transmit and receive wirelesscommunication signals through an antenna window 283 or waveguide formedalong or otherwise integrated with the sidewall of the housing 210. Theside-fired antenna array 282 may be coupled to the logic board 220 via aflexible circuit element or other conductive connection, as describedherein. The device 200 may also include a (rear-fired) antenna array 284that may be configured to transmit and receive wireless communicationsignals through the cover 272. The antenna array 284 may be attached toa back or bottom surface of the logic board 220. Each of the antennaarrays 282, 284, 286 may be adapted to conduct millimeter wave 5Gcommunications and may be adapted to use or be used with beam-forming orother techniques to adapt signal reception depending on the use case.The device 200 may also include multiple antennas for conductingmultiple-in multiple-out (MIMO) wireless communications schemes,including 4G, 4G LTE, and/or 5G MIMO communication protocols. Asdescribed herein, one or more of the housing members 211, 212, 213, 214,215, and 216 may be adapted to operate as antennas for a MIMO wirelesscommunication scheme (or other wireless communication scheme).

FIG. 3 depicts an exploded view of an example electronic device. Inparticular, FIG. 3 depicts an exploded view of a device 300, showingvarious components of the device 300 and example arrangements andconfigurations of the components. The description of the variouscomponents and elements of device 100 of FIGS. 1A and 1B may also beapplicable to the device 300 depicted in FIG. 3 . A redundantdescription of some of the components is not repeated herein forclarity.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the device 300 includes a cover 302 (e.g., a frontcover), which may be formed of glass, ceramic, or other transparentsubstrate. In this example, the cover 302 may be formed from a glass orglass-ceramic material. A glass-ceramic material may include bothamorphous and crystalline or non-amorphous phases of one or morematerials and may be formulated to improve strength or other propertiesof the cover 302. In some cases, the cover 302 may include a sheet ofchemically strengthened material having one or more coatings includingan anti-reflective (AR) coating, an oleophobic coating, or other type ofcoating or optical treatment. In some cases, the cover 302 includes asheet of material that is less than 1 mm thick. In some cases, the sheetof material is less than 0.80 mm. In some cases, the sheet of materialis approximately 0.60 mm or less. The cover 302 may be chemicallystrengthened using an ion exchange process to form a compressive stresslayer along exterior surfaces of the cover 302.

The cover 302 extends over a substantial entirety of the front surfaceof the device and may be positioned within an opening defined by thehousing 310. As described in more detail below, the edges or sides ofthe cover 302 may be surrounded by a protective flange or lip of thehousing 310 without an interstitial component between the edges of thecover 302 and the respective flanges of the housing 310. Thisconfiguration may allow an impact or force applied to the housing 310 tobe transferred to the cover 302 without directly transferring shearstress through the display 303 or frame 304.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the display 303 is coupled to an internal surfaceof the cover 302. In this example, the display stack includes a display303 (also referred to as a display element) and a touch-sensing layer305, which is positioned between the display 303 and the cover 302. Thedisplay 303 may include an edge-to-edge organic light emitting diode(OLED) display that measures 15.4 cm (6.1 inches) corner-to-corner. Theperimeter or non-active area of the display 303 may be reduced to allowfor very thin device borders around the active area of the display 303.In some cases, the display 303 allows for border regions of 1.5 mm orless. In some cases, the display 303 allows for border regions of 1 mmor less. In one example implementation, the border region isapproximately 0.9 mm. The display 303 may have a relatively high pixeldensity of approximately 450 pixels per inch (PPI) or greater. In somecases, the display 303 has a pixel density of approximately 460 PPI.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the display stack includes both a display (element)303 and a separate touch-sensing layer 305, and includes an array ofcapacitive electrodes that are configured to sense the presence andlocation of one or more touches along the external surface of the cover302. The electrodes of the touch-sensing layer 305 may be configured todetect a location of a touch, a gesture input, multi-touch input, orother types of touch input along the external surface of the cover 302.In some cases, the touch-sensing layer 305 is coupled to or has anintegrated flex circuit that extends from one or more of the long sidesof the touch-sensing layer 305, which may reduce the border around thedisplay 303. As with the previous example described above with respectto FIG. 2 , the display 303 may have an integrated (on-cell)touch-sensing system. For example, an array of electrodes that areintegrated into the OLED display may be time and/or frequencymultiplexed in order to provide both display and touch-sensingfunctionality. In some cases, the display 303 includes another type ofdisplay element, such as a liquid-crystal display (LCD).

The display 303 may include always-on-display (AOD) functionality. Forexample, the display 303 may be configurable to allow designated regionsor subsets of pixels to be displayed when the device 300 is powered onsuch that graphical content is visible to the user even when the device300 is in a low-power or sleep mode. This may allow the time, date,battery status, recent notifications, and other graphical content to bedisplayed in a lower-power or sleep mode. This graphical content may bereferred to as persistent or always-on graphical output. While somebattery power may be consumed when displaying persistent or always-ongraphical output, the power consumption is typically less than duringnormal or full-power operation of the display 303. This functionalitymay be enabled by only operating a subset of the display pixels and/orat a reduced resolution in order to reduce power consumption by thedisplay 303.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the device 300 may also include a frame 304 that ispositioned below the cover 302 and that extends around an outerperiphery of the display 303. A perimeter of the frame 304 may beattached to a lower or inner surface of the cover 302. A portion of theframe 304 may extend below the display 303 and may attach the cover 302to the housing 310. Because the display 303 is attached to a lower orinner surface of the cover 302, the frame 304 may also be described asattaching both the display 303 and the cover 302 to the housing 310. Theframe 304 may be formed of a polymer material, metal material, orcombination of polymer and metal materials. The frame 304 may supportelements of the display stack, provide anchor points for flexiblecircuits, and/or be used to mount other components and device elements.In some cases, the frame 304 includes one or more metal or conductiveelements that provide shielding between device components, such asbetween the display stack (including display components and touch sensorcomponents) and other components like the haptic actuator 322, thespeaker system 324, and the like.

The cover 302, touch-sensing layer 305, display 303, and frame member304 may be part of a top module 301 of the device 300. The top module301 may be assembled as a subassembly, which may then be attached to ahousing member. For example, as described herein, the display 303 andtouch-sensing layer 305 may be attached to the cover 302 (e.g., via atransparent adhesive), and the frame member 304 may be attached (e.g.,via adhesive) to the cover around a periphery of the display 303. Thetop module 301 may then be attached to a housing member of the device300 by mounting and adhering the frame member 304 to a ledge defined bythe housing member.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the device 300 also includes one or more cameras,light emitters, and/or sensing elements that are configured to transmitsignals, receive signals, or otherwise operate along the front surfaceof the device. In this example, the device 300 includes a front camera306 that includes a high-resolution camera sensor. The front camera 306may have a 12 megapixel resolution sensor with optical elements thatprovide a fixed focus and an 85° field of view. The front camera 306 mayhave an aperture number of f/2.2. The device 300 also includes a facialrecognition sensor 352 that includes a depth sensor that includes aninfrared light projector and an infrared light sensor that areconfigured to sense an array of depth points or regions along the faceof the user. The array of depth points may be characterized as a uniquesignature or bio-identifier, which may be used to identify the user andunlock the device 300 or authorize functionality on the device 300 likethe purchase of software apps or the use of payment functionalityprovided by the device 300.

The device may also include one or more other sensors or elements thatare integrated into a front-facing sensor array 350. For example, thefront-facing sensor array 350 may include a front light illuminatorelement for providing a flash or illumination for the front camera 306.The front-facing sensor array 350 may also include an ambient lightsensor (ALS) that is used to detect ambient light conditions for settingexposure aspects of the front camera 306. The front-facing sensor array350 may also include an antenna array that is configured to transmit andreceive wireless communications along the front surface of the device300. The antenna array may include elements that are configured toconduct a 5G wireless protocol that may include mm wave and/or 6 GHzcommunication signals. The antenna array may include multiple elementsand may be configured to use or be used with beam-forming and othersimilar techniques to facilitate 5G wireless communication.

FIG. 3 also illustrates one or more cameras, light emitters, and/orsensing elements that are configured to transmit signals, receivesignals, or otherwise operate along the rear surface of the device. Asdepicted in FIG. 3 , these elements may be integrated in a sensor array360. In this example, the sensor array 360 includes a first camera 361having a 12 megapixel image sensor and a wide angle lens with anaperture number of f/1.6. The first camera 361 also includes a dualphotodiode sensor having an APS+ sensor format. The sensor array 360also includes a second camera 362 having a 12 megapixel image sensor anda super-wide angle lens (120° FOV) with an aperture number of f/2.4. Thesensor array 360 may also include a third camera 363 having a 12megapixel image sensor and a telephoto optical lens assembly thatenables 2× optical zoom. The third camera 363 may also have an aperturenumber of f/2.0.

The sensor array 360 also includes a light illuminator that may be usedas a flash for photography or as an auxiliary light source (e.g., aflashlight). The sensor array 360 also features an integrated chassisdesign that minimizes space while providing the precision alignmentrequired for multiple high-resolution cameras. In some cases, the sensorarray 360 also includes a microphone, an ambient light sensor, and othersensors that are adapted to sense along the rear surface of the device300.

The sensor array 360 may also include a depth sensor 365 that is able toestimate a distance to objects positioned behind the device 300. Thedepth sensor 365 may include an optical sensor that uses time-of-flightor other optical effect to measure a distance between the device 300 andan external object. The depth sensor 365 may include one or more opticalemitters that are adapted to emit one or more beams of light, which maybe used to estimate the distance. In some cases, the one or more beamsof light are coherent light beams having a substantially uniformwavelength/frequency (e.g., laser beams). A coherent light source mayfacilitate depth measurements using a time of flight, phase shift, orother optical effect. In some cases, the depth sensor 365 uses a sonicoutput, a radio output, or other type of output that may be used tomeasure the distance between the device 300 and one or more externalobjects.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the cameras 361, 362, 363 may be aligned withcamera covers 366, 367, 368, respectively. The covers 366, 367, 368 maybe formed from a glass or sapphire material and may provide a clearwindow through which the cameras 361, 362, 363 are able to capture aphotographic image. In other cases, the covers 366, 367, 368 are opticallenses that filter, magnify, or otherwise condition light received bythe respective camera 361, 362, 363. The other sensing or transmittingelements of the sensor array 360 may transmit and/or receive signalsthrough a region of the rear cover 372 or through a separate cover(e.g., 369) that is coupled to the rear cover 372. As shown in FIG. 3 ,the covers 366, 367, 368 may extend beyond the exterior surface of thecover 372, and may define a recess along the interior side of the cover372, such that the lens or other element of the cameras 361, 362, 363can extend into the respective recesses. In this way, the device 300 mayaccommodate a larger lens or other elements of the cameras 361, 362, 363than would be possible if the recess were not provided.

The device 300 also includes a battery 330. The battery 330 provideselectrical power to the device 300 and its various systems andcomponents. The battery 330 may include a 4.45 V lithium ion batterythat is encased in a foil or other enclosing element. The battery 330may include a rolled electrode configuration, sometimes referred to as“jelly roll” or folded electrode configuration. The battery 330 may berecharged via the charging port 332 (e.g., from a power cable pluggedinto the charging port 332), and/or via a wireless charging system 340.The battery 330 may be coupled to the charging port 332 and/or thewireless charging system 340 via battery control circuitry that controlsthe power provided to the battery and the power provided by the batteryto the device 300. The battery 330 may include one or more lithium ionbattery cells or any other suitable type of rechargeable batteryelement.

The charging system 340 may include a coil that inductively couples toan output or transmitting coil of a wireless charger. The coil mayprovide current to the device 300 to charge the battery 330 and/or powerthe device. In this example, the charging system 340 includes a coilassembly 342 that includes multiple wraps of a conductive wire or otherconduit that is configured to produce a (charging) current in responseto being placed in an inductive charging electromagnetic field producedby a separate wireless charging device or accessory. The coil assembly342 also includes an array of magnetic elements that are arranged in acircular or radial pattern. The magnetic elements may help to locate thedevice 300 with respect to a separate wireless charging device or otheraccessory. In some implementations, the array of magnets also help toradially locate, orient, or “clock” the device 300 with respect to theseparate wireless charging device or other accessory. For example, thearray of magnets may include multiple magnetic elements havingalternating magnetic polarity that are arranged in a radial pattern. Themagnetic elements may be arranged to provide a magnetic coupling to theseparate charging device in a particular orientation or set of discreteorientations to help locate the device 300 with respect to the separatecharging device or other accessory. This functionality may be describedas self-aligning or self-locating wireless charging. As shown in FIG. 3, the device 300 also includes a magnetic fiducial 344 for helping tolocate the separate wireless charging device or accessory. In oneexample, the magnetic fiducial 344 is adapted to magnetically couple toa cable or power cord of the separate wireless charging device or otheraccessory. By coupling to the cable or power cord, the rotationalalignment of the device 300 and the separate wireless charging device orother accessory may be maintained with respect to an absolute or singleposition. Also, by magnetically coupling the cable or cord to the rearsurface of the device 300, the charging device or other accessory may bemore securely coupled to the device 300.

In some implementations, the charging system 340 includes an antenna orother element that detects the presence of a charging device or otheraccessory. In some cases, the charging system includes a near-fieldcommunications (NFC) antenna that is adapted to receive and/or sendwireless communications between the device 300 and the wireless chargeror other accessory. In some cases, the device 300 is adapted to performwireless communications to detect or sense the presence of the wirelesscharger or other accessory without using a dedicated NFC antenna. Thecommunications may also include information regarding the status of thedevice, the amount of charge held by the battery 330, and/or controlsignals to increase charging, decrease charging, start charging and/orstop charging for a wireless charging operation.

The device 300 may also include a speaker system 324. The speaker system324 may be positioned in the device 300 so that a respective speakerport 325 is aligned with or otherwise proximate an audio output of thespeaker system 324. Accordingly, sound that is output by the speakersystem 324 exits the housing 310 via the respective speaker port 325.The speaker system 324 may include a speaker positioned in a housingthat defines a speaker volume (e.g., an empty space in front of orbehind a speaker diaphragm). The speaker volume may be used to tune theaudio output from the speaker and optionally mitigate destructiveinterference of the sound produced by the speaker. The speaker system324 may include left and right speakers that are aligned with left andright speaker ports 325, respectively, in order to produce stereo sound.

The device 300 may also include a haptic actuator 322. The hapticactuator 322 may include a movable mass and an actuation system that isconfigured to move the mass to produce a haptic output. The actuationsystem may include one or more coils and one or more magnets (e.g.,permanent and/or electromagnets) that interact to produce motion. Themagnets may be or may include recycled magnetic material. As describedherein, the haptic actuator 322 may have a profile or enclosure shapethat facilitates physical integration with the battery 330 and othercomponents of the device 300 in order to minimize space and/or maximizethe size of the battery.

When the coil(s) are energized, the coil(s) may cause the mass to move,which results in a force being imparted on the device 300. The motion ofthe mass may be configured to cause a vibration, pulse, tap, or othertactile output detectable via an exterior surface of the device 300. Thehaptic actuator 322 may be configured to move the mass linearly, thoughother movements (e.g., rotational) are also contemplated. Other types ofhaptic actuators may be used instead of or in addition to the hapticactuator 322.

The device 300 also includes a logic board 320. The logic board 320 mayinclude a substrate, and processors, memory, and other circuit elementscoupled to the substrate. The logic board 320 may include multiplecircuit substrates that are stacked and coupled together in order tomaximize the area available for electronic components and circuitry in acompact form factor. The logic board 320 may include provisions for asubscriber identity module (SIM). The logic board 320 may includeelectrical contacts and/or a SIM tray assembly for receiving a physicalSIM card and/or the logic board 320 may include provisions for anelectronic SIM. The logic board 320 may be wholly or partiallyencapsulated to reduce the chance of damage due to an ingress of wateror other fluid.

The logic board 320 may also include a liquid detection circuit 327 thatis located proximate to the charging opening 326 or other opening in thehousing 310. The liquid detection circuit 327 may include a resistive orconductive sensor that is configured to electrically detect moistureabove a given threshold and transmit a signal to the processor in orderto record a liquid exposure event. The liquid detection circuit 327 mayalso include a visual element that changes color or provides some othervisual indicia when exposed to moisture above a certain threshold. Insome cases, the liquid detection circuit 327 is positioned within asealed internal volume of a waterproof or water resistant device and isconfigured to detect liquid ingress due to a mechanical breach of thehousing 310 or physical damage to the device 300.

The logic board 320 may also include wireless communications circuitry,which may be coupled to and/or otherwise use the housing members 311,312, 313, 314, 315, or 316 (or portions thereof) as radiating members orstructures to provide wireless communications. The logic board 320 mayalso include components such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, near-fieldcommunications circuitry and/or antennas, compasses, and the like. Insome implementations, the logic board 320 may include a magnetometerthat is adapted to detect and/or locate an accessory. For example, themagnetometer may be adapted to detect a magnetic (or non-magnetic)signal produced by an accessory of the device 300 or other device. Theoutput of the magnetometer may include a direction output that may beused to display a directional indicia or other navigational guidance onthe display 303 in order to guide the user toward a location of theaccessory or other device.

The logic board 320 may also include one or more pressure transducersthat may be operable to detect changes in external pressure in order todetermine changes in altitude or height. The pressure sensors may beexternally ported and/or positioned within a water-sealed internalvolume of the housing 310. The output of the pressure sensors may beused to track flights of stairs climbed, a location (e.g., a floor) of amulti-story structure, movement performed during an activity in order toestimate physical effort or calories burned, or other relative movementof the device 300.

The logic board 320 may also include global position system (GPS)electronics that may be used to determine the location of the device 300with respect to one or more satellites (e.g., a Global NavigationSatellite System (SNSS)) in order to estimate an absolution location ofthe device 300. In some implementations, the GPS electronics areoperable to utilize dual frequency bands. For example, the GPSelectronics may use L1 (L1C), L2 (L2C), L5, L1+L5, and other GPS signalbands in order to estimate the location of the device 300.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the housing may include a cover 372 (e.g., rear orback cover) that may define a substantial entirety of the rear surfaceof the device 300. The cover 372 may be formed from a glass substratehaving portions that are less than 1 mm thick. In some cases, the sheetsubstrate has portions that are less than 0.80 mm. In some cases, theglass substrate has portions that are approximately 0.60 mm or less. Thecover 372 may have a uniform thickness or, in some cases, may have athickened or raised portion that surrounds the camera covers 366, 367,368. The cover 372 may be machined (e.g., ground) into a final shapebefore being polished and/or textured to provide the desired surfacefinish. The texture may be specially configured to provide a matteappearance while also being resistant to collecting a buildup of skin,lint, or other debris. A series of cosmetic layers may be formed alongthe inner surface of the cover 372 to provide a desired optical effectand final color of the device 300.

Similar to as described above with respect to cover 302, the cover 372may be positioned at least partially within an opening defined in thehousing 310. Also similar to as described above with respect to cover302, the edges or sides of the cover 372 may be surrounded by aprotective flange or lip of the housing 310 without an interstitialcomponent between the edges of the cover 372 and the respective flangesof the housing 310. The cover 372 is typically chemically strengthenedusing an ion exchange process to form a compressive stress layer alongexterior surfaces of the cover 372.

As described above, the housing 310 may include housing members 311,312, 313, 314, 315, and 316 structurally joined together via jointstructures 318. FIG. 3 illustrates how the joint structures 318 mayextend over inner surfaces of the housing members. More particularly, aportion of the joint structures 318 may contact, cover, encapsulate,and/or engage with retention features of the housing members that extendfrom the inner surfaces of the housing members.

Housing members 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, and 316 may also be referred toherein as housing segments and may be formed from aluminum, stainlesssteel, or other metal or metal alloy material. As described herein, thehousing members 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, and 316 may provide a robustand impact resistant sidewall for the device 300. In the presentexample, the housing members 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, and 316 define aflat sidewall that extends around the perimeter of the device 300. Theflat sidewall may include rounded or chamfered edges that define theupper and lower edges of the sidewall of the housing 310. The housingmembers 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, and 316 may each have a flange portionor lip that extends around and at least partially covers a respectiveside of the front and rear covers 302, 372. There may be no interstitialmaterial or elements between the flange portion or lip and therespective side surface of the front and rear covers 302, 372. This mayallow forces or impacts that are applied to the housing 310 to betransferred to the front and rear covers 302, 372 without affecting thedisplay or other internal structural elements, which may improve thedrop performance of the device 300.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the device 300 includes multiple antennas that maybe adapted to conduct wireless communication using a 5G communicationprotocol. In particular, the device 300 may include a (front-fired)antenna array 386 that is positioned near the earpiece of the device 300and configured to transmit and receive wireless communication signalsthrough the cover 302. The device 300 may also include a (side-fired)antenna array 382 that is configured to transmit and receive wirelesscommunication signals through an antenna window 383 or waveguide formedalong or otherwise integrated with the side wall of the housing 310. Theside-fired antenna array 382 may be coupled to the logic board 320 via aflexible circuit element or other conductive connection, as describedherein. The device 300 may also include a (rear-fired) antenna array 384that may be configured to transmit and receive wireless communicationsignals through the cover 372. The (rear-fired) antenna array 384 may beattached to a back or bottom surface of the logic board 320. Each of theantenna arrays 382, 384, 386 may be adapted to conduct millimeter wave5G communications and may be adapted to use or be used with beam-formingor other techniques to adapt signal reception depending on the use case.The device 300 may also include multiple antennas for conductingmultiple-in multiple-out (MIMO) wireless communications schemes,including 4G, 4G LTE, and/or 5G MIMO communication protocols. Asdescribed herein, one or more of the housing members 311, 312, 313, 314,315, and 316 may be adapted to operate as antennas for a MIMO wirelesscommunication scheme (or other wireless communication scheme).

FIG. 4 depicts an exploded view of an example electronic device. Inparticular, FIG. 4 depicts an exploded view of a device 400, showingvarious components of the device 400 and example arrangements andconfigurations of the components. The description of the variouscomponents and elements of device 100 of FIGS. 1A and 1B may also beapplicable to the device 400 depicted in FIG. 4 . A redundantdescription of some of the components is not repeated herein forclarity.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the device 400 includes a cover 402 (e.g., a frontcover), which may be formed of glass, ceramic, or other transparentsubstrate. In this example, the cover 402 may be formed from a glass orglass-ceramic material. A glass-ceramic material may include bothamorphous and crystalline or non-amorphous phases of one or morematerials and may be formulated to improve strength or other propertiesof the cover 402. In some cases, the cover 402 may include a sheet ofchemically strengthened material having one or more coatings includingan anti-reflective (AR) coating, an oleophobic coating, or other type ofcoating or optical treatment. In some cases, the cover 402 includes asheet of material that is less than 1 mm thick. In some cases, the sheetof material is less than 0.80 mm. In some cases, the sheet of materialis approximately 0.60 mm or less. The cover 402 may be chemicallystrengthened using an ion exchange process to form a compressive stresslayer along exterior surfaces of the cover 402.

The cover 402 extends over a substantial entirety of the front surfaceof the device and may be positioned within an opening defined by thehousing 410. As described in more detail below, the edges or sides ofthe cover 402 may be surrounded by a protective flange or lip of thehousing 410 without an interstitial component between the edges of thecover 402 and the respective flanges of the housing 410. Thisconfiguration may allow an impact or force applied to the housing 410 tobe transferred to the cover 402 without directly transferring shearstress through the display 403 or frame 404.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the display 403 is coupled to an internal surfaceof the cover 402. In this example, the display stack includes a display403 (also referred to as a display element) and a touch-sensing layer405, which is positioned between the display 403 and the cover 402. Thedisplay 403 may include an edge-to-edge organic light emitting diode(OLED) display that measures 15.4 cm (6.1 inches) corner-to-corner. Theperimeter or non-active area of the display 403 may be reduced to allowfor very thin device borders around the active area of the display 403.In some cases, the display 403 allows for border regions of 1.5 mm orless. In some cases, the display 403 allows for border regions of 1 mmor less. In one example implementation, the border region isapproximately 0.9 mm. The display 403 may have a relatively high pixeldensity of approximately 450 pixels per inch (PPI) or greater. In somecases, the display 403 has a pixel density of approximately 460 PPI.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the display stack includes both a display (element)403 and a separate touch-sensing layer 405, and includes an array ofcapacitive electrodes that are configured to sense the presence andlocation of one or more touches along the external surface of the cover402. The electrodes of the touch-sensing layer 405 may be configured todetect a location of a touch, a gesture input, multi-touch input, orother types of touch input along the external surface of the cover 402.In some cases, the touch-sensing layer 405 is coupled to or has anintegrated flex circuit that extends from one or more of the long sidesof the touch-sensing layer 405, which may reduce the border around thedisplay 403. As with the previous example described above with respectto FIG. 2 , the display 403 may have an integrated (on-cell)touch-sensing system. For example, an array of electrodes that areintegrated into the OLED display may be time and/or frequencymultiplexed in order to provide both display and touch-sensingfunctionality. In some cases, the display 403 includes another type ofdisplay element, such as a liquid-crystal display (LCD).

The display 403 may include always-on-display (AOD) functionality. Forexample, the display 403 may be configurable to allow designated regionsor subsets of pixels to be displayed when the device 400 is powered onsuch that graphical content is visible to the user even when the device400 is in a low-power or sleep mode. This may allow the time, date,battery status, recent notifications, and other graphical content to bedisplayed in a lower-power or sleep mode. This graphical content may bereferred to as persistent or always-on graphical output. While somebattery power may be consumed when displaying persistent or always-ongraphical output, the power consumption is typically less than duringnormal or full-power operation of the display 403. This functionalitymay be enabled by only operating a subset of the display pixels and/orat a reduced resolution in order to reduce power consumption by thedisplay 403.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the device 400 may also include a frame 404 that ispositioned below the cover 402 and that extends around an outerperiphery of the display 403. A perimeter of the frame 404 may beattached to a lower or inner surface of the cover 402. A portion of theframe 404 may extend below the display 403 and may attach the cover 402to the housing 410. Because the display 403 is attached to a lower orinner surface of the cover 402, the frame 404 may also be described asattaching both the display 403 and the cover 402 to the housing 410. Theframe 404 may be formed of a polymer material, metal material, orcombination of polymer and metal materials. The frame 404 may supportelements of the display stack, provide anchor points for flexiblecircuits, and/or be used to mount other components and device elements.In some cases, the frame 404 includes one or more metal or conductiveelements that provide shielding between device components, such asbetween the display stack (including display components and touch sensorcomponents) and other components like the haptic actuator 422, thespeaker system 424, and the like.

The cover 402, touch-sensing layer 405, display 403, and frame member404 may be part of a top module 401 of the device 400. The top module401 may be assembled as a subassembly, which may then be attached to ahousing member. For example, as described herein, the display 403 andtouch-sensing layer 405 may be attached to the cover 402 (e.g., via atransparent adhesive), and the frame member 404 may be attached (e.g.,via adhesive) to the cover around a periphery of the display 403. Thetop module 401 may then be attached to a housing member of the device400 by mounting and adhering the frame member 404 to a ledge defined bythe housing member.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the device 400 also includes one or more cameras,light emitters, and/or sensing elements that are configured to transmitsignals, receive signals, or otherwise operate along the front surfaceof the device. In this example, the device 400 includes a front camera406 that includes a high-resolution camera sensor. The front camera 406may have a 12 megapixel resolution sensor with optical elements thatprovide a fixed focus and an 85° field of view. The front camera 406 mayhave an aperture number of f/2.2. The device 400 also includes a facialrecognition sensor 452 that includes a depth sensor that includes aninfrared light projector and an infrared light sensor that areconfigured to sense an array of depth points or regions along the faceof the user. The array of depth points may be characterized as a uniquesignature or bio-identifier, which may be used to identify the user andunlock the device 400 or authorize functionality on the device 400 likethe purchase of software apps or the use of payment functionalityprovided by the device 400.

The device may also include one or more other sensors or elements thatare integrated into a front-facing sensor array 450. For example, thefront-facing sensor array 450 may include a front light illuminatorelement for providing a flash or illumination for the front camera 406.The front-facing sensor array 450 may also include an ambient lightsensor (ALS) that is used to detect ambient light conditions for settingexposure aspects of the front camera 406. The front-facing sensor array450 may also include an antenna array that is configured to transmit andreceive wireless communications along the front surface of the device400. The antenna array may include elements that are configured toconduct a 5G wireless protocol that may include mm wave and/or 6 GHzcommunication signals. The antenna array may include multiple elementsand may be configured to use or be used with beam-forming and othersimilar techniques to facilitate 5G wireless communication.

FIG. 4 also illustrates one or more cameras, light emitters, and/orsensing elements that are configured to transmit signals, receivesignals, or otherwise operate along the rear surface of the device. Asdepicted in FIG. 4 , these elements may be integrated in a sensor array460. In this example, the sensor array 460 includes a first camera 461having a 12 megapixel image sensor and a wide angle lens with anaperture number of f/1.6. The first camera 461 also includes a dualphotodiode sensor having an APS+ sensor format. The sensor array 460also includes a second camera 462 having a 12 megapixel image sensor anda super-wide angle lens (120° FOV) with an aperture number of f/2.4.

The sensor array 460 also includes a light illuminator that may be usedas a flash for photography or as an auxiliary light source (e.g., aflashlight). The sensor array 460 also features an integrated chassisdesign that minimizes space while providing the precision alignmentrequired for multiple high-resolution cameras. In some cases, the sensorarray 460 also includes a microphone, an ambient light sensor, and othersensors that are adapted to sense along the rear surface of the device400.

The sensor array 460 may also include a depth sensor that is able toestimate a distance to objects positioned behind the device 400. Thedepth sensor may include an optical sensor that uses time-of-flight orother optical effect to measure a distance between the device 400 and anexternal object. The depth sensor may include one or more opticalemitters that are adapted to emit one or more beams of light, which maybe used to estimate the distance. In some cases, the one or more beamsof light are coherent light beams having a substantially uniformwavelength/frequency. A coherent light source may facilitate depthmeasurements using a time of flight, phase shift, or other opticaleffect. In some cases, the depth sensor uses a sonic output, radiooutput, or other type of output that may be used to measure the distancebetween the device 400 and one or more external objects.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the cameras 461, 462 may be aligned with cameracovers 466, 467 respectively. The covers 466, 467 may be formed from aglass or sapphire material and may provide a clear window through whichthe cameras 461, 462 are able to capture a photographic image. In othercases, the covers 466, 467 are optical lenses that filter, magnify orotherwise condition light received by the respective camera 461, 462.The other sensing or transmitting elements of the sensor array 460 maytransmit and/or receive signals through a region of the rear cover 472or through a separate cover (e.g., 469) that is coupled to the rearcover 472. As shown in FIG. 4 , the covers 466, 467 may extend beyondthe exterior surface of the cover 472, and may define a recess along theinterior side of the cover 472, such that the lens or other element ofthe cameras 461, 462 can extend into the respective recesses. In thisway, the device 400 may accommodate a larger lens or other elements ofthe cameras 461, 462 than would be possible if the recess were notprovided.

The device 400 also includes a battery 430. The battery 430 provideselectrical power to the device 400 and its various systems andcomponents. The battery 430 may include a 4.45 V lithium ion batterythat is encased in a foil or other enclosing element. The battery 430may include a rolled electrode configuration, sometimes referred to as“jelly roll” or folded electrode configuration. The battery 430 may berecharged via the charging port 432 (e.g., from a power cable pluggedinto the charging port 432), and/or via a wireless charging system 440.The battery 430 may be coupled to the charging port 432 and/or thewireless charging system 440 via battery control circuitry that controlsthe power provided to the battery and the power provided by the batteryto the device 400. The battery 430 may include one or more lithium ionbattery cells or any other suitable type of rechargeable batteryelement.

The charging system 440 may include a coil that inductively couples toan output or transmitting coil of a wireless charger. The coil mayprovide current to the device 400 to charge the battery 430 and/or powerthe device. In this example, the charging system 440 includes a coilassembly 442 that includes multiple wraps of a conductive wire or otherconduit that is configured to produce a (charging) current in responseto being placed in an inductive charging electromagnetic field producedby a separate wireless charging device or accessory. The coil assembly442 also includes an array of magnetic elements that are arranged in acircular or radial pattern. The magnetic elements may help to locate thedevice 400 with respect to a separate wireless charging device or otheraccessory. In some implementations, the array of magnets also help toradially locate, orient, or “clock” the device 400 with respect to theseparate wireless charging device or other accessory. For example, thearray of magnets may include multiple magnetic elements havingalternating magnetic polarity that are arranged in a radial pattern. Themagnetic elements may be arranged to provide a magnetic coupling to theseparate charging device in a particular orientation or set of discreteorientations to help locate the device 400 with respect to the separatecharging device or other accessory. This functionality may be describedas self-aligning or self-locating wireless charging. As shown in FIG. 4, the device 400 also includes a magnetic fiducial 444 for helping tolocate the separate wireless charging device or accessory. In oneexample, the magnetic fiducial 444 is adapted to magnetically couple toa cable or power cord of the separate wireless charging device or otheraccessory. By coupling to the cable or power cord, the rotationalalignment of the device 400 and the separate wireless charging device orother accessory may be maintained with respect to an absolute or singleposition. Also, by magnetically coupling the cable or cord to the rearsurface of the device 400, the charging device or other accessory may bemore securely coupled to the device 400.

In some implementations, the charging system 440 includes an antenna orother element that detects the presence of a charging device or otheraccessory. In some cases, the charging system includes a near-fieldcommunications (NFC) antenna that is adapted to receive and/or sendwireless communications between the device 400 and the wireless chargeror other accessory. In some cases, the device 400 is adapted to performwireless communications to detect or sense the presence of the wirelesscharger or other accessory without using a dedicated NFC antenna. Thecommunications may also include information regarding the status of thedevice, the amount of charge held by the battery 430, and/or controlsignals to increase charging, decrease charging, start charging and/orstop charging for a wireless charging operation.

The device 400 may also include a speaker system 424. The speaker system424 may be positioned in the device 400 so that a respective speakerport 425 is aligned with or otherwise proximate an audio output of thespeaker system 424. Accordingly, sound that is output by the speakersystem 424 exits the housing 410 via the respective speaker port 425.The speaker system 424 may include a speaker positioned in a housingthat defines a speaker volume (e.g., an empty space in front of orbehind a speaker diaphragm). The speaker volume may be used to tune theaudio output from the speaker and optionally mitigate destructiveinterference of the sound produced by the speaker. The speaker system424 may include left and right speakers that are aligned with left andright speaker ports 425, respectively, in order to produce stereo sound.

The device 400 may also include a haptic actuator 422. The hapticactuator 422 may include a movable mass and an actuation system that isconfigured to move the mass to produce a haptic output. The actuationsystem may include one or more coils and one or more magnets (e.g.,permanent and/or electromagnets) that interact to produce motion. Themagnets may be or may include recycled magnetic material. As describedherein, the haptic actuator 422 may have a profile or enclosure shapethat facilitates physical integration with the battery 430 and othercomponents of the device 400 in order to minimize space and/or maximizethe size of the battery.

When the coil(s) are energized, the coil(s) may cause the mass to move,which results in a force being imparted on the device 400. The motion ofthe mass may be configured to cause a vibration, pulse, tap, or othertactile output detectable via an exterior surface of the device 400. Thehaptic actuator 422 may be configured to move the mass linearly, thoughother movements (e.g., rotational) are also contemplated. Other types ofhaptic actuators may be used instead of or in addition to the hapticactuator 422.

The device 400 also includes a logic board 420. The logic board 420 mayinclude a substrate, and processors, memory, and other circuit elementscoupled to the substrate. The logic board 420 may include multiplecircuit substrates that are stacked and coupled together in order tomaximize the area available for electronic components and circuitry in acompact form factor. The logic board 420 may include provisions for asubscriber identity module (SIM). The logic board 420 may includeelectrical contacts and/or a SIM tray assembly for receiving a physicalSIM card and/or the logic board 420 may include provisions for anelectronic SIM. The logic board 420 may be wholly or partiallyencapsulated to reduce the chance of damage due to an ingress of wateror other fluid.

The logic board 420 may also include a liquid detection circuit 427 thatis located proximate to the charging opening 426 or other opening in thehousing 410. The liquid detection circuit 427 may include a resistive orconductive sensor that is configured to electrically detect moistureabove a given threshold and transmit a signal to the processor in orderto record a liquid exposure event. The liquid detection circuit 427 mayalso include a visual element that changes color or provides some othervisual indicia when exposed to moisture above a certain threshold. Insome cases, the liquid detection circuit 427 is positioned within asealed internal volume of a waterproof or water resistant device and isconfigured to detect liquid ingress due to a mechanical breach of thehousing 410 or physical damage to the device 400.

The logic board 420 may also include wireless communications circuitry,which may be coupled to and/or otherwise use the housing members 411,412, 413, 414, 415, or 416 (or portions thereof) as radiating members orstructures to provide wireless communications. The logic board 420 mayalso include components such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, near-fieldcommunications circuitry and/or antennas, compasses, and the like. Insome implementations, the logic board 420 may include a magnetometerthat is adapted to detect and/or locate an accessory. For example, themagnetometer may be adapted to detect a magnetic (or non-magnetic)signal produced by an accessory of the device 400 or other device. Theoutput of the magnetometer may include a direction output that may beused to display a directional indicia or other navigational guidance onthe display 403 in order to guide the user toward a location of theaccessory or other device.

The logic board 420 may also include one or more pressure transducersthat may be operable to detect changes in external pressure in order todetermine changes in altitude or height. The pressure sensors may beexternally ported and/or positioned within a water-sealed internalvolume of the housing 410. The output of the pressure sensors may beused to track flights of stairs climbed, a location (e.g., a floor) of amulti-story structure, movement performed during an activity in order toestimate physical effort or calories burned, or other relative movementof the device 400.

The logic board 420 may also include global position system (GPS)electronics that may be used to determine the location of the device 400with respect to one or more satellites (e.g., a Global NavigationSatellite System (SNSS)) in order to estimate an absolution location ofthe device 400. In some implementations, the GPS electronics areoperable to utilize dual frequency bands. For example, the GPSelectronics may use L1 (L1C), L2 (L2C), L5, L1+L5, and other GPS signalbands in order to estimate the location of the device 400.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the housing may include a cover 472 (e.g., rear orback cover) that may define a substantial entirety of the rear surfaceof the device 400. The cover 472 may be formed from a glass, glassceramic, ceramic, or other material substrate having portions that areless than 1 mm thick. In some cases, the substrate has portions that areless than 0.80 mm. In some cases, the substrate has portions that areapproximately 0.60 mm or less. The cover 472 may have a uniformthickness or, in some cases, may have a thickened or raised portion thatsurrounds the camera covers 466, 467. The cover 472 may be machined(e.g., ground) into a final shape before being polished and/or texturedto provide the desired surface finish. The texture may be speciallyconfigured to provide a matte appearance while also being resistant tocollecting a buildup of skin, lint, or other debris. A series ofcosmetic layers may be formed along the inner surface of the cover 472to provide a desired optical effect and final color of the device 400.

Similar to as described above with respect to cover 402, the cover 472may be positioned at least partially within an opening defined in thehousing 410. Also similar to as described above with respect to cover402, the edges or sides of the cover 472 may be surrounded by aprotective flange or lip of the housing 410 without an interstitialcomponent between the edges of the cover 472 and the respective flangesof the housing 410. The cover 472 may be chemically strengthened usingan ion exchange process to form a compressive stress layer alongexterior surfaces of the cover 472.

As described above, the housing 410 may include housing members 411,412, 413, 414, 415, and 416 structurally joined together via jointstructures 418. FIG. 4 illustrates how the joint structures 418 mayextend over inner surfaces of the housing members. More particularly, aportion of the joint structures 418 may contact, cover, encapsulate,and/or engage with retention features of the housing members that extendfrom the inner surfaces of the housing members.

Housing members 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, and 416 may also be referred toherein as housing segments and may be formed from aluminum, stainlesssteel, or other metal or metal alloy material. As described herein, thehousing members 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, and 416 may provide a robustand impact resistant sidewall for the device 400. In the presentexample, the housing members 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, and 416 define aflat sidewall that extends around the perimeter of the device 400. Theflat sidewall may include rounded or chamfered edges that define theupper and lower edges of the sidewall of the housing 410. The housingmembers 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, and 416 may each have a flange portionor lip that extends around and at least partially covers a respectiveside of the front and rear covers 402, 472. There may be no interstitialmaterial or elements between the flange portion or lip and therespective side surface of the front and rear covers 402, 472. This mayallow forces or impacts that are applied to the housing 410 to betransferred to the front and rear covers 402, 472 without affecting thedisplay or other internal structural elements, which may improve thedrop performance of the device 400.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the device 400 includes multiple antennas that maybe adapted to conduct wireless communication using a 5G communicationprotocol. In particular, the device 400 may include a (front-fired)antenna array 486 that is positioned near the earpiece of the device 400and configured to transmit and receive wireless communication signalsthrough the cover 402. The device 400 may also include a (side-fired)antenna array 482 that is configured to transmit and receive wirelesscommunication signals through an antenna window 483 or waveguide formedalong or otherwise integrated with the side wall of the housing 410. Theside-fired antenna array 482 may be coupled to the logic board 420 via aflexible circuit element or other conductive connection, as describedherein. The device 400 may also include a (rear-fired) antenna array 484that may be configured to transmit and receive wireless communicationsignals through the cover 472. The antenna array 484 may be attached toa back or bottom surface of the logic board 420. Each of the antennaarrays 482, 484, 486 may be adapted to conduct millimeter wave 5Gcommunications and may be adapted to use or be used with beam-forming orother techniques to adapt signal reception depending on the use case.The device 400 may also include multiple antennas for conductingmultiple-in multiple-out (MIMO) wireless communications schemes,including 4G, 4G LTE, and/or 5G MIMO communication protocols. Asdescribed herein, one or more of the housing members 411, 412, 413, 414,415, and 416 may be adapted to operate as antennas for a MIMO wirelesscommunication scheme (or other wireless communication scheme).

FIG. 5 depicts an exploded view of an example electronic device. Inparticular, FIG. 5 depicts an exploded view of a device 500, showingvarious components of the device 500 and example arrangements andconfigurations of the components. The description of the variouscomponents and elements of device 100 of FIGS. 1A and 1B may also beapplicable to the device 500 depicted in FIG. 5 . A redundantdescription of some of the components is not repeated herein forclarity.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the device 500 includes a cover 502 (e.g., a frontcover), which may be formed of glass, ceramic, or other transparentsubstrate. In this example, the cover 502 may be formed from a glass orglass-ceramic material. A glass-ceramic material may include bothamorphous and crystalline or non-amorphous phases of one or morematerials and may be formulated to improve strength or other propertiesof the cover 502. In some cases, the cover 502 may include a sheet ofchemically strengthened material having one or more coatings includingan anti-reflective (AR) coating, an oleophobic coating, or other type ofcoating or optical treatment. In some cases, the cover 502 includes asheet of material that is less than 1 mm thick. In some cases, the sheetof material is less than 0.80 mm. In some cases, the sheet of materialis approximately 0.60 mm or less. The cover 502 may be chemicallystrengthened using an ion exchange process to form a compressive stresslayer along exterior surfaces of the cover 502.

The cover 502 extends over a substantial entirety of the front surfaceof the device and may be positioned within an opening defined by thehousing 510. As described in more detail below, the edges or sides ofthe cover 502 may be surrounded by a protective flange or lip of thehousing 510 without an interstitial component between the edges of thecover 502 and the respective flanges of the housing 510. Thisconfiguration may allow an impact or force applied to the housing 510 tobe transferred to the cover 502 without directly transferring shearstress through the display 503 or frame 504.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the display 503 is coupled to an internal surfaceof the cover 502. The display 503 may include an edge-to-edge organiclight emitting diode (OLED) display that measures 16.97 cm (6.68 inches)corner-to-corner. The perimeter or non-active area of the display 503may be reduced to allow for very thin device borders around the activearea of the display 503. In some cases, the display 503 allows forborder regions of 1.5 mm or less. In some cases, the display 503 allowsfor border regions of 1 mm or less. In one example implementation, theborder region is approximately 0.9 mm. The display 503 may have arelatively high pixel density of approximately 450 pixels per inch (PPI)or greater. In some cases, the display 503 has a pixel density ofapproximately 458 PPI. The display 503 may have an integrated (on-cell)touch-sensing system. For example, an array of electrodes that areintegrated into the OLED display may be time and/or frequencymultiplexed in order to provide both display and touch-sensingfunctionality. The electrodes may be configured to detect a location ofa touch, a gesture input, multi-touch input, or other types of touchinput along the external surface of the cover 502. In some cases, thedisplay 503 includes another type of display element, such as aliquid-crystal display (LCD) without an integrated touch-sensing system.That is, the device 500 may include one or more touch- and/orforce-sensing layers that are positioned between the display 503 and thecover 502.

The display 503 may include always-on-display (AOD) functionality. Forexample, the display 503 may be configurable to allow designated regionsor subsets of pixels to be displayed when the device 500 is powered onsuch that graphical content is visible to the user even when the device500 is in a low-power or sleep mode. This may allow the time, date,battery status, recent notifications, and other graphical content to bedisplayed in a lower-power or sleep mode. This graphical content may bereferred to as persistent or always-on graphical output. While somebattery power may be consumed when displaying persistent or always-ongraphical output, the power consumption is typically less than duringnormal or full-power operation of the display 503. This functionalitymay be enabled by only operating a subset of the display pixels and/orat a reduced resolution in order to reduce power consumption by thedisplay 503.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the device 500 may also include a frame 504 that ispositioned below the cover 502 and that extends around an outerperiphery of the display 503. A perimeter of the frame 504 may beattached to a lower or inner surface of the cover 502. A portion of theframe 504 may extend below the display 503 and may attach the cover 502to the housing 510. Because the display 503 is attached to a lower orinner surface of the cover 502, the frame 504 may also be described asattaching both the display 503 and the cover 502 to the housing 510. Theframe 504 may be formed of a polymer material, a metal material, or acombination of polymer and metal materials. The frame 504 may supportelements of the display stack, provide anchor points for flexiblecircuits, and/or be used to mount other components and device elements.In some cases, the frame 504 includes one or more metal or conductiveelements that provide shielding between device components, such asbetween the display stack (including display components and touch sensorcomponents) and other components like the haptic actuator 522, thespeaker system 524, and the like.

The cover 502, display stack 503, and frame member 504 may be part of atop module 501 of the device 500. The top module 501 may be assembled asa subassembly, which may then be attached to a housing member. Forexample, as described herein, the display 503 may be attached to thecover 502 (e.g., via a transparent adhesive), and the frame member 504may be attached (e.g., via adhesive) to the cover around a periphery ofthe display stack 503. The top module 501 may then be attached to ahousing member of the device 500 by mounting and adhering the framemember 504 to a ledge defined by the housing member.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the device 500 also includes one or more cameras,light emitters, and/or sensing elements that are configured to transmitsignals, receive signals, or otherwise operate along the front surfaceof the device. In this example, the device 500 includes a front camera506 that includes a high-resolution camera sensor. The front camera 506may have a 12 megapixel resolution sensor with optical elements thatprovide a fixed focus and an 85° field of view. The front camera 506 mayhave an aperture number of f/2.2. The device 500 also includes a facialrecognition sensor 552 that includes a depth sensor that includes aninfrared light projector and infrared light sensor that are configuredto sense an array of depth points or regions along the face of the user.The array of depth points may be characterized as a unique signature orbio-identifier, which may be used to identify the user and unlock thedevice 500 or authorize functionality on the device 500 like thepurchase of software apps or the use of payment functionality providedby the device 500.

The device may also include one or more other sensors or elements thatare integrated into a front-facing sensor array 550. For example, thefront-facing sensor array 550 may include a front light illuminatorelement for providing a flash or illumination for the front camera 506.The front-facing sensor array 550 may also include an ambient lightsensor (ALS) that is used to detect ambient light conditions for settingexposure aspects of the front camera 506. The front-facing sensor array550 may also include an antenna array that is configured to transmit andreceive wireless communications along the front surface of the device500. The antenna array may include elements that are configured toconduct a 5G wireless protocol that may include mm wave and/or 6 GHzcommunication signals. The antenna array may include multiple elementsand may be configured to use or be used with beam-forming and othersimilar techniques to facilitate 5G wireless communication.

FIG. 5 also illustrates one or more cameras, light emitters, and/orsensing elements that are configured to transmit signals, receivesignals, or otherwise operate along the rear surface of the device. Asdepicted in FIG. 5 , these elements may be integrated in a sensor array560. In this example, the sensor array 560 includes a first camera 561having a 12 megapixel image sensor and a wide angle lens with anaperture number of f/1.6. The first camera 561 may also include asensor-shifting mechanism that allows for image stabilization and/oroptical focusing. In some cases, the image sensor is moved with respectto one or more fixed elements of the optical lens assembly. The sensorarray 560 also includes a second camera 562 having a 12 megapixel imagesensor and a super-wide angle lens (120° FOV) with an aperture number off/2.2. The sensor array 560 may also include a third camera 563 having a12 megapixel image sensor and a telephoto optical lens assembly thatenables 2.5× optical zoom. The third camera 563 may also have anaperture number of f/2.4.

The sensor array 560 also includes a light illuminator that may be usedas a flash for photography or as an auxiliary light source (e.g., aflashlight). The sensor array 560 also features an integrated chassisdesign that minimizes space while providing the precision alignmentrequired for multiple high-resolution cameras. In some cases, the sensorarray 560 also includes a microphone, an ambient light sensor, and othersensors that are adapted to sense along the rear surface of the device500.

The sensor array 560 may also include a depth sensor 565 that is able toestimate a distance to objects positioned behind the device 500. Thedepth sensor 565 may include an optical sensor that uses time-of-flightor other optical effect to measure a distance between the device 500 andan external object. The depth sensor 565 may include one or more opticalemitters that are adapted to emit one or more beams of light, which maybe used to estimate the distance. In some cases, the one or more beamsof light are coherent light beams having a substantially uniformwavelength/frequency. A coherent light source may facilitate depthmeasurements using a time of flight, phase shift, or other opticaleffect. In some cases, the depth sensor 565 uses a sonic output, radiooutput, or other type of output that may be used to measure the distancebetween the device 500 and one or more external objects. The depthsensor 565 may be positioned proximate a window 571 through which thedepth sensor 565 may send and/or receive signals (e.g., laser light,infrared light, visible light, etc.).

As shown in FIG. 5 , the cameras 561, 562, 563 may be aligned withcamera covers 566, 567, 568, respectively. The covers 566, 567, 568 maybe formed from a glass or sapphire material and may provide a clearwindow through which the cameras 561, 562, 563 are able to capture aphotographic image. In other cases, the covers 566, 567, 568 are opticallenses that filter, magnify, or otherwise condition light received bythe respective camera 561, 562, 563. The other sensing or transmittingelements of the sensor array 560 may transmit and/or receive signalsthrough a region of the rear cover 572 or through a separate cover(e.g., 569) that is coupled to the rear cover 572. As shown in FIG. 5 ,the covers 566, 567, 568 may extend beyond the exterior surface of thecover 572, and may define a recess along the interior side of the cover572, such that the lens or other element of the cameras 561, 562, 563can extend into the respective recesses. In this way, the device 500 mayaccommodate a larger lens or other elements of the cameras 561, 562, 563than would be possible if the recess were not provided.

The device 500 also includes a battery 530. The battery 530 provideselectrical power to the device 500 and its various systems andcomponents. The battery 530 may include a 4.40 V lithium ion batterythat is encased in a foil or other enclosing element. The battery 530may include a rolled electrode configuration, sometimes referred to as“jelly roll” or folded electrode configuration. The battery 530 may berecharged via the charging port 532 (e.g., from a power cable pluggedinto the charging port 532), and/or via a wireless charging system 540.The battery 530 may be coupled to the charging port 532 and/or thewireless charging system 540 via battery control circuitry that controlsthe power provided to the battery and the power provided by the batteryto the device 500. The battery 530 may include one or more lithium ionbattery cells or any other suitable type of rechargeable batteryelement.

The wireless charging system 540 may include a coil that inductivelycouples to an output or transmitting coil of a wireless charger. Thecoil may provide current to the device 500 to charge the battery 530and/or power the device. In this example, the wireless charging system540 includes a coil assembly 542 that includes multiple wraps of aconductive wire or other conduit that is configured to produce a(charging) current in response to being placed in an inductive chargingelectromagnetic field produced by a separate wireless charging device oraccessory. The coil assembly 542 also includes an array of magneticelements that are arranged in a circular or radial pattern. The magneticelements may help to locate the device 500 with respect to a separatewireless charging device or other accessory. In some implementations,the array of magnets also help to radially locate, orient, or “clock”the device 500 with respect to the separate wireless charging device orother accessory. For example, the array of magnets may include multiplemagnetic elements having alternating magnetic polarity that are arrangedin a radial pattern. The magnetic elements may be arranged to provide amagnetic coupling to the separate charging device in a particularorientation or set of discrete orientations to help locate the device500 with respect to the separate charging device or other accessory.This functionality may be described as self-aligning or self-locatingwireless charging. As shown in FIG. 5 , the device 500 also includes amagnetic fiducial 544 for helping to locate the separate wirelesscharging device or accessory. In one example, the magnetic fiducial 544is adapted to magnetically couple to a cable or power cord of theseparate wireless charging device or other accessory. By coupling to thecable or power cord, the rotational alignment of the device 500 and theseparate wireless charging device or other accessory may be maintainedwith respect to an absolute or single position. Also, by magneticallycoupling the cable or cord to the rear surface of the device 500, thecharging device or other accessory may be more securely coupled to thedevice 500.

In some implementations, the wireless charging system 540 includes anantenna or other element that detects the presence of a charging deviceor other accessory. In some cases, the charging system includes anear-field communications (NFC) antenna that is adapted to receiveand/or send wireless communications between the device 500 and thewireless charger or other accessory. In some cases, the device 500 isadapted to perform wireless communications to detect or sense thepresence of the wireless charger or other accessory without using adedicated NFC antenna. The communications may also include informationregarding the status of the device, the amount of charge held by thebattery 530, and/or control signals to increase charging, decreasecharging, start charging and/or stop charging for a wireless chargingoperation.

The device 500 may also include a speaker system 524. The speaker system524 may be positioned in the device 500 so that a respective speakerport 525 is aligned with or otherwise proximate an audio output of thespeaker system 524. Accordingly, sound that is output by the speakersystem 524 exits the housing 510 via the respective speaker port 525.The speaker system 524 may include a speaker positioned in a housingthat defines a speaker volume (e.g., an empty space in front of orbehind a speaker diaphragm). The speaker volume may be used to tune theaudio output from the speaker and optionally mitigate destructiveinterference of the sound produced by the speaker. The speaker system524 may include left and right speakers that are aligned with left andright speaker ports 525, respectively, in order to produce stereo sound.

The device 500 may also include a haptic actuator 522. The hapticactuator 522 may include a movable mass and an actuation system that isconfigured to move the mass to produce a haptic output. The actuationsystem may include one or more coils and one or more magnets (e.g.,permanent and/or electromagnets) that interact to produce motion. Themagnets may be or may include recycled magnetic material. As describedherein, the haptic actuator 522 may have a profile or enclosure shapethat facilitates physical integration with the battery 530 and othercomponents of the device 500 in order to minimize space and/or maximizethe size of the battery.

When the coil(s) are energized, the coil(s) may cause the mass to move,which results in a force being imparted on the device 500. The motion ofthe mass may be configured to cause a vibration, pulse, tap, or othertactile output detectable via an exterior surface of the device 500. Thehaptic actuator 522 may be configured to move the mass linearly, thoughother movements (e.g., rotational) are also contemplated. Other types ofhaptic actuators may be used instead of or in addition to the hapticactuator 522.

The device 500 also includes a logic board 520. The logic board 520 mayinclude a substrate, and processors, memory, and other circuit elementscoupled to the substrate. The logic board 520 may include multiplecircuit substrates that are stacked and coupled together in order tomaximize the area available for electronic components and circuitry in acompact form factor. The logic board 520 may include provisions for asubscriber identity module (SIM). The logic board 520 may includeelectrical contacts and/or a SIM tray assembly for receiving a physicalSIM card and/or the logic board 520 may include provisions for anelectronic SIM. The logic board 520 may be wholly or partiallyencapsulated to reduce the chance of damage due to an ingress of wateror other fluid.

The logic board 520 may also include a liquid detection circuit 527 thatis located proximate to the charging opening 526 or other opening in thehousing 510. The liquid detection circuit 527 may include a resistive orconductive sensor that is configured to electrically detect moistureabove a given threshold and transmit a signal to the processor in orderto record a liquid exposure event. The liquid detection circuit 527 mayalso include a visual element that changes color or provides some othervisual indicia when exposed to moisture above a certain threshold. Insome cases, the liquid detection circuit 527 is positioned within asealed internal volume of a waterproof or water resistant device and isconfigured to detect liquid ingress due to a mechanical breach of thehousing 510 or physical damage to the device 500.

The logic board 520 may also include wireless communications circuitry,which may be coupled to and/or otherwise use the housing members 511,512, 513, 514, 515, or 516 (or portions thereof) as radiating members orstructures to provide wireless communications. The logic board 520 mayalso include components such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, near-fieldcommunications circuitry and/or antennas, compasses, and the like. Insome implementations, the logic board 520 may include a magnetometerthat is adapted to detect and/or locate an accessory. For example, themagnetometer may be adapted to detect a magnetic (or non-magnetic)signal produced by an accessory of the device 500 or other device. Theoutput of the magnetometer may include a direction output that may beused to display a directional indicia or other navigational guidance onthe display 503 in order to guide the user toward a location of theaccessory or other device.

The logic board 520 may also include one or more pressure transducersthat may be operable to detect changes in external pressure in order todetermine changes in altitude or height. The pressure sensors may beexternally ported and/or positioned within a water-sealed internalvolume of the housing 510. The output of the pressure sensors may beused to track flights of stairs climbed, a location (e.g., a floor) of amulti-story structure, movement performed during an activity in order toestimate physical effort or calories burned, or other relative movementof the device 500.

The logic board 520 may also include global position system (GPS)electronics that may be used to determine the location of the device 500with respect to one or more satellites (e.g., a Global NavigationSatellite System (SNSS)) in order to estimate an absolution location ofthe device 500. In some implementations, the GPS electronics areoperable to utilize dual frequency bands. For example, the GPSelectronics may use L1 (L1C), L2 (L2C), L5, L1+L5, and other GPS signalbands in order to estimate the location of the device 500.

The housing 510 may also include a chassis 519, which may be attached tothe housing 510. The chassis 519 may be formed of metal, and may act asa structural mounting point for components of the device 500. Thechassis 519 may define an opening that corresponds to size of the coilassembly 542 of the wireless charging system 540, such that the chassis519 does not shield the wireless coil assembly 542 or otherwisenegatively affect the inductive coupling between the coil of thewireless charging system 540 and an external wireless charger oraccessory.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the housing may include a cover 572 (e.g., rear orback cover) that may define a substantial entirety of the rear surfaceof the device 500. The cover 572 may be formed from a glass,glass-ceramic, or other material having portions that are less than 1 mmthick. In some cases, the substrate has portions that are less than 0.80mm. In some cases, the substrate has portions that are approximately0.60 mm or less. The cover 572 may have a uniform thickness or, in somecases, may have a thickened or raised portion that surrounds the cameracovers 566, 567, 568. The cover 572 may be machined (e.g., ground) intoa final shape before being polished and/or textured to provide thedesired surface finish. The texture may be specially configured toprovide a matte appearance while also being resistant to collecting abuildup of skin, lint, or other debris. A series of cosmetic layers maybe formed along the inner surface of the cover 572 to provide a desiredoptical effect and final color of the device 500.

Similar to as described above with respect to cover 502, the cover 572may be positioned at least partially within an opening defined in thehousing 510. Also similar to as described above with respect to cover502, the edges or sides of the cover 572 may be surrounded by aprotective flange or lip of the housing 510 without an interstitialcomponent between the edges of the cover 572 and the respective flangesof the housing 510. The cover 572 may be chemically strengthened usingan ion exchange process to form a compressive stress layer alongexterior surfaces of the cover 572. In some cases, the (rear) cover 572is formed from the same or a similar material as (front) cover 502.

As described above, the housing 510 may include housing members 511,512, 513, 514, 515, and 516 structurally joined together via jointstructures 518. FIG. 5 illustrates how the joint structures 518 mayextend over inner surfaces of the housing members. More particularly, aportion of the joint structures 518 may contact, cover, encapsulate,and/or engage with retention features of the housing members that extendfrom the inner surfaces of the housing members.

Housing members 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, and 516 may also be referred toherein as housing segments and may be formed from aluminum, stainlesssteel, or other metal or metal alloy material. As described herein, thehousing members 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, and 516 may provide a robustand impact resistant sidewall for the device 500. In the presentexample, the housing members 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, and 516 define aflat sidewall that extends around the perimeter of the device 500. Theflat sidewall may include rounded or chamfered edges that define theupper and lower edges of the sidewall of the housing 510. The housingmembers 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, and 516 may each have a flange portionor lip that extends around and at least partially covers a respectiveside of the front and rear covers 502, 572. There may be no interstitialmaterial or elements between the flange portion or lip and therespective side surface of the front and rear covers 502, 572. This mayallow forces or impacts that are applied to the housing 510 to betransferred to the front and rear covers 502, 572 without affecting thedisplay or other internal structural elements, which may improve thedrop performance of the device 500.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the device 500 includes multiple antennas that maybe adapted to conduct wireless communication using a 5G communicationprotocol. In particular, the device 500 may include a (front-fired)antenna array 586 that is positioned near the earpiece of the device 500and configured to transmit and receive wireless communication signalsthrough the cover 502. The device 500 may also include a (side-fired)antenna array 582 that is configured to transmit and receive wirelesscommunication signals through an antenna window or waveguide formedalong or otherwise integrated with the side wall of the housing 510. Theside-fired antenna array 582 may be coupled to the logic board 520 via aflexible circuit element or other conductive connection, as describedherein. The device 500 may also include a (rear-fired) antenna array 584that may be configured to transmit and receive wireless communicationsignals through the cover 572. The antenna array 584 may be attached toa back or bottom surface of the logic board 520. Each of the antennaarrays 582, 584, 586 may be adapted to conduct millimeter wave 5Gcommunications and may be adapted to use or be used with beam-forming orother techniques to adapt signal reception depending on the use case.The device 500 may also include multiple antennas for conductingmultiple-in multiple-out (MIMO) wireless communications schemes,including 4G, 4G LTE, and/or 5G MIMO communication protocols. Asdescribed herein, one or more of the housing members 511, 512, 513, 514,515, and 516 may be adapted to operate as antennas for a MIMO wirelesscommunication scheme (or other wireless communication scheme).

FIG. 6A depicts a partial cross-sectional view of an example electronicdevice 600, viewed along line 6A-6A in FIG. 1A. The electronic device600 may correspond to or be an embodiment of the electronic devices 100,200, 300, 400, 500, or any other device described herein.

The device 600 may include a housing member 602, which may correspond toor be an embodiment of the housing member 130. The housing member 602may also represent other housing members of the devices describedherein, such as the housing members 124, 125, 126, 127, and 128. Thehousing member 602 may define an exterior side surface 603 of the device600. The device 600 may also include a cover 604, which may correspondto or be an embodiment of the cover 102 of FIGS. 1A-1B (or any othercover described herein). The cover 604 may define a front exteriorsurface 606 of the device 600, which may be planar. In some cases, thecover 604 defines a chamfer 605 that extends around the periphery of theplanar front exterior surface 606 and extends between an edge of thefront exterior surface 606 and an edge of a side surface 607 of thecover 604. The device 600 may also include a rear cover 609, which maycorrespond to or be an embodiment of the rear cover 132 (or any otherrear cover described herein).

The cover 604 may be positioned over a display stack 608, which maycorrespond to or be an embodiment of the display 103 of FIGS. 1A-1B (orany other display described herein). The display stack 608 may becoupled to the cover 604 along an interior surface of the cover 604 viaan adhesive 610, which may be a transparent adhesive. The adhesive 610may have a thickness, such as about 200 microns, about 300 microns,about 400 microns, or the like.

The display stack 608 may include a display element 612, which may beconfigured to produce graphical outputs. The display element 612 may bean OLED display, and may include multiple layers and/or other componentsthat facilitate the production of graphical outputs, including, forexample, substrates, an anode, a cathode, one or more organic layers, anemissive layer, adhesives, and the like. In some cases, the displayelement 612 may include an integrated (on-cell) touch-sensing system, asdescribed above. For example, an array of electrodes that are integratedinto the OLED display may be time and/or frequency multiplexed in orderto provide both display and touch-sensing functionality. In other cases,separate touch- and/or force-sensing systems may be included above orbelow the display element 612 (each of which may include, for example,capacitive electrode layers, compliant layers, and the like). While anOLED display is described, the display element may be any suitable typeof display, such as an LCD display, an active layer organic lightemitting diode (AMOLED) display, an organic electroluminescent (EL)display, an electrophoretic ink display, or the like.

The display stack 608 may include various electrically active layers andcomponents that need to be electrically interconnected to otherelectrical components, processors, circuit elements, and the like.Because such layers (e.g., anode and cathode layers of an OLED display)may be sandwiched between other layers of the display stack 608, aflexible circuit element 622 (e.g., a flexible circuit board) may wraparound a side of the display stack 608 (forming a loop) to electricallycouple the electrically active layers of the display stack 608 to a moreaccessible circuit element 620 of the display stack 608. Moreparticularly, the flexible circuit element 622 may include conductivetraces that interconnect electrical components within the displayelement 612 (e.g., cathode and anode layers, electrode layers of touchand/or force sensors, on-cell touch-sensing layers, etc.) to otherelectrical traces, connectors, processors, or other electricalcomponents that are mounted on the circuit element 620. The circuitelement 620 may be a rigid or flexible circuit board. In some cases, apotting material (e.g., an epoxy, foam, or other material or component)may be provided in the loop area 616 between the side of the displaystack 608 and the flexible circuit element 622 to help provide structureto the flexible circuit element 622 and to help prevent deformation ofthe flexible circuit element 622 due to impacts or other damage.Additional details about the potting material are shown and describedwith respect to FIGS. 13C-13D.

The display stack 608 may include other components in addition to thedisplay element 612 and touch- and/or force-sensing components, such assupport and shielding layers, and adhesive layers to hold the variouscomponents of the display stack 608 together. For example, the displaystack 608 may include a first metal plate 614 that supports the displayelement 612 and imparts structural support, rigidity, and flatness tothe display element 612. The first metal plate 614 may have the same orsubstantially the same front-facing area as the display element 612(e.g., the first metal plate 614 may have a front-facing area that isgreater than 90% of the display element 612). The display stack may alsoinclude a second metal plate 618 that supports the circuit element 620.The second metal plate 618 may have a smaller frontal area than thefirst metal plate 614, and may have a size that is similar to thecircuit element 620. Both the circuit element 620 and the second metalplate 618 may have a front-facing area that is less than 50% of thefront-facing area of the display element 612, and optionally less than30% of the front-facing area of the display element 612.

The display stack 608 may include other layers and components, as well.For example, the display stack 608 may include adhesives between variouslayers and elements in the display stack 608. More specifically, thedisplay stack 608 may include an adhesive between the display element612 and the first metal plate 614, an adhesive between the first metalplate 614 and the second metal plate 618, and an adhesive between thesecond metal plate 618 and the circuit element 620. Of course, otherlayers, sheets, substrates, adhesives, and/or other components may alsobe included in the display stack 608.

The cover 604 may be attached to a frame member 624. The frame member624 may be formed from or include a polymer material, and may extendaround all or substantially all of a perimeter of the cover 604. Theframe member 624 may at least partially encapsulate and/or otherwise becoupled to a back plate 628. The back plate 628 may be formed of orinclude metal, plastic, or any other suitable material. The back plate628 may provide shielding and structural support to the device, and mayprotect the display stack 608 by forming an at least partially enclosedarea in which the display stack 608 is positioned. The back plate 628may be at least partially encapsulated in the frame member 624, or itmay be attached to the frame member 624 in any other suitable manner.

The frame member 624 may be attached to the housing member 602. Forexample, the frame member 624 may be attached to a ledge 623 or otherfeature defined by the housing member, as depicted in FIG. 6A. The ledge623 may extend from an interior side of the housing member 602. Theledge 623 may be part of a monolithic structure of the housing member602 (e.g., the housing member may be molded, machined, or otherwiseformed from a single piece of material to define the ledge 623 as wellas the other features and/or surfaces of the housing member 602). Theframe member 624 may be attached to the housing member 602 via anadhesive 625, which may be between and in contact with the ledge 623 andthe frame member 624. The adhesive 625 may be any suitable adhesive,such as a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), heat sensitive adhesive(HSA), adhesive film, epoxy, or the like. In some cases, the ledge orother feature to which the frame member 624 is attached acts as a datumsurface for the frame member 624. Thus, the alignment (e.g., flushness)of the front exterior surface 606 of the cover 604 and the upper portion632 of the housing member 602 may be defined or established by thelocation of the ledge (relative to the upper portion 632), as well asthe location of the bottom surface of the frame member 624 (relative tothe front exterior surface 606 of the cover 604).

The cover 604 may be attached to the frame member 624 via an adhesive626. The frame member 624 may define a recessed region 627 (whichdefines a bonding surface), and the adhesive 626 may be placed in therecessed region 627. The recessed region 627 may provide a trough-likevolume for the adhesive 626, while also allowing a flange portion 629 ofthe frame member 624 to contact the underside of the cover 604. Thedirect contact between the flange portion 629 of the frame member 624and the cover 604 may provide a rigid connection between the cover 604and the frame member 624 and may ensure that forces applied to the cover604 are transferred to the structural frame member 624. While therecessed region 627 is defined by a single flange portion 629 (e.g., onthe right side of the recessed region 627), other configurations arealso possible, such as a recessed region defined by two flange portionsor other sidewall-like features (e.g., a channel defined by two walls).

The housing member 602 may be specifically configured to allow a closecoupling between it and the assembly that includes the cover 604, thedisplay stack 608, and the frame member 624. In particular, the housingmember 602 may define a recessed region 630 (also referred to simply asa recess) along an interior surface of the housing member 602 that isadjacent or proximate the frame member 624. The recessed region 630 maybe formed into the housing member 602 in any suitable way. For example,the recessed region 630 may be machined into the housing member 602, orthe housing member 602 may be molded or cast and the recessed region 630may be formed as part of the casting or molding process.

The recessed region 630 may correspond to a portion of the housingmember 602 that is thinner than other portions of the housing member602. For example, the housing member 602 may define an upper portion 632and a lower portion 634 that have a greater thickness (in theleft-to-right direction as depicted in FIG. 6A) than the portion of thehousing member 602 that defines the recessed region 630.

The recessed region 630 may be configured so that the interior surfaceof the housing member 602 that is directly opposite the frame member 624is set apart from the frame member 624 by a target distance. The targetdistance may be selected so that deformations or deflections of thehousing member 602 along the side wall (e.g., due to the device 600being dropped or otherwise subjected to predictable misuse or damage) donot contact the frame member 624 and/or the display stack 608. Moreparticularly, the recessed region 630 allows the device 600 toaccommodate a certain amount of deformation of the side wall of thehousing member 602 without the housing member 602 contacting the framemember 624. For example, the inner surface of the recessed region 630may be spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface 631 of the framemember 624 by about 0.3 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm, 1.0 mm, or any othersuitable distance. In some cases, the distance between the inner surfaceof the recessed region 630 and the outer surface of the frame member 624is greater than a housing deformation that is produced as a result of astandard test, such as a side impact test (e.g., in which the device 600is dropped from a certain height (e.g., 1 m, 2 m, or 3 m) onto a certainsurface (e.g., an edge of a triangular prism).

In some cases, the height (e.g., the vertical direction as depicted inFIG. 6A) of the recessed region 630 (and optionally the height of therecessed region 630 and the additional recessed region 636 combined) isequal to or greater than a height of the frame member 624. In this way,the recessed region 630 (optionally with the additional recessed region636) is large enough so that the frame member 624 could extend at leastpartially into the recessed region 630 in the event of an impact or drop(e.g., causing the housing member 602 to deform or deflect), without theframe member 624 contacting the housing member 602. This may helpprevent damage to the frame-cover interface and help prevent separationof the cover 604 from the frame member 624 (e.g., by preventing orreducing the magnitude of forces applied to the frame member 624 by thehousing member 602 in the event of an impact, drop, or the like). Insome cases, the height of the recessed region 630 (and optionally therecessed region 630 combined with the additional recessed region 636)extends from the ledge 623 to a height or location that is at or abovethe bottom surface of the cover 604.

In some cases, the distance between the inner surface of the recessedregion 630 and the outer surface of the frame member 624 is greater thana distance between a side surface 607 of the cover 604 and an inner sidesurface 633. Thus, for example, a deformation or deflection of thehousing member 602 towards the cover 604 and the frame member 624 mayresult in the side surface 607 of the cover 604 contacting the innerside surface 633 of the frame member 624 before the housing member 602(and in particular the inner surface of the recessed region 630)contacts the frame member 624. Thus, by forming a recessed region 630that establishes a greater distance between the housing member 602 andthe frame member 624 than the distance between the housing member 602and the cover 604, the risk of contact between the housing member 602and the frame member 624 during deformation or deflection of the housingmember 602 may be reduced.

The side surface 607 of the cover 604 may abut an inner side surface 633of the housing member 602 (or be adjacent the inner side surface 633without interstitial components, as described herein). In some cases,there is no interstitial component or other material between the sidesurface 607 of the cover 604 and the inner side surface 633 of thehousing member 602. This construction provides several structural andcosmetic advantages. For example, the lack of a bezel or otherinterstitial component or material between these surfaces provides aclean, frameless appearance to the front of the device 600. Inparticular, the front-facing surfaces of the device 600 may be definedonly by the upper portion 632 of the housing member 602 and the frontexterior surface 606 of the cover 604. While the side surface 607 of thecover 604 may abut an inner side surface 633 of the housing member 602,in some cases an air gap may exist between these surfaces. In somecases, an adhesive or sealing material may be positioned between theside surface 607 of the cover 604 and the inner side surface 633 of thehousing member 602. In such cases, the adhesive or sealing material maybe the only material between these surfaces, may be in contact with bothsurfaces, and may have a thickness less than about 0.5 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.1mm, 0.05 mm, or any other suitable thickness.

The proximity between the side surface 607 of the cover 604 and theinner side surface 633 of the housing member 602 may define a load paththrough the upper portion 632 of the housing member 602 and into thecover 604. For example, forces applied to the exterior side surface 603of the housing member 602 may be directed into the cover 604 at theinterface between the side surface 607 of the cover 604 and the innerside surface 633 of the housing member 602. (In cases where the innerside surface 633 abuts the side surface 607 of the cover 604, loads maybe directly transferred or directed into the cover 604, while in caseswhere there is an air gap between the inner side surface 633 and theside surface 607 of the cover 604, the forces may initially cause thegap to close such that the inner side surface 633 comes into contactwith the side surface 607.) The rigidity and structural integrity of thecover 604 may help prevent or reduce deformation of the housing member602 in the event of a drop or other impact on the exterior side surface603, thereby protecting internal components of the device 600 fromdamage due to the housing member 602 contacting them. By defining theload path through the cover 604 and by configuring the housing member602 to include the recessed region 630, the device 600 may be designedto omit the frame member 624 from the load path during many impactevents (e.g., the device 600 being dropped). For example, as shown inFIG. 6A, the recessed region 630 ensures that the frame member 624 isset apart from the housing member 602 by a suitable distance. Also, noportion of the frame member 624 is between the housing member 602 andthe cover 604. Accordingly, the frame member 624 may be positioned sothat it is not contacted or impacted by the housing member 602, even ifthe housing member 602 is subjected to an impact, deformed, deflected,or otherwise damaged (up to a certain amount of deformation ordeflection).

In some cases, the rear cover 609 interfaces with the lower portion 634of the housing member 602, in that the lower portion 634 may contact aside surface of the rear cover 609, thereby defining a load path throughthe lower portion 634 and into the rear cover 609.

In some cases, the housing member 602 may include an additional recessedregion 636. The additional recessed region 636 may be configured so thatthe housing member 602 in that region is set a distance away fromcomponents in the display stack 608, touch- and/or force-sensingcomponents, antennas, or other electrical components of the device 600.In particular, as the housing member 602 may be formed of metal, themetal may capacitively couple to other electronic components. Byincreasing the distance between the metal of the housing member 602 andthe electrical components, the capacitive coupling may be reduced to anacceptable level. Accordingly, the additional recessed region 636 may beconfigured so that the distance between the additional recessed region636 and another electrical component is greater than about 0.5 mm, 1.0mm, 1.5 mm, 2.0 mm, or any other suitable distance. In some cases, therecessed region 630 may be recessed further (and thus correspond to athinner portion of the housing member 602) than the additional recessedregion 636.

The frame member 624 may also define a recess 657. The recess 657 may bedefined at least partially by the flange portion 629, and may beconfigured to accommodate or receive at least part of the display stack608. For example, a loop 635 defined by the flexible circuit element 622may extend at least partially into the recess 657, as shown in FIG. 6A(as well as 6B-6E). In some cases, in order to facilitate the attachmentof the cover 604 to the frame member 624, the frame member 624 may bedeflected so that the loop 635 can clear the frame member 624 withoutcontacting the flange portion 629. For example, the cover 604 and thedisplay stack 608 may be attached together, and then the cover anddisplay stack may be lowered onto the frame member 624. Withoutdeflecting the frame member 624, the loop 635 may contact the flangeportion 629 or another portion of the frame member 624. By deflectingthe frame member 624 (e.g., pulling the frame member 624 to the left,relative to the orientation shown in FIG. 6A, with a fixture or tool),the loop 635 may be positioned in the recess (and at least partiallyoverlapping the flange portion 629) without the loop 635 contacting theframe member 624. By positioning the loop 635 at least partially in therecess 657, greater packing efficiency may be achieved, as the framemember can be positioned closer to the active area of the display, thusreducing display borders and other unused space in the device.

As noted above with respect to FIG. 6A, a display stack 608 may beattached to a cover 604 via an adhesive 610, which may be a transparentadhesive to allow the graphical outputs that are produced by the displaystack 608 to be visible through the cover 604. In order to increase theamount of internal space in a device, it may be advantageous to use athin adhesive to attach the display stack 608 to the cover 604. However,the structure of the frame member 624 and the display stack 608 (and/orother device components) may limit the minimum thickness of the adhesive610. For example, if the thickness of the adhesive 610 in FIG. 6A isreduced, the flexible circuit element 622 may contact or be too close tothe flange portion 629 of the frame member 624.

FIG. 6B illustrates another example configuration of a frame member andcover that may enable the use of a thinner adhesive to attach a displaystack to a cover. For example, FIG. 6B illustrates a cover 640 with athinned outer region 650. Except for the thinned outer region 650, thecover 640 may be the same as or similar to the cover 604, and forbrevity those details are not repeated here. The cover 640 may beattached to a frame member 656 via an adhesive 652 that is positioned ina recessed region 654 (which defines a bonding surface) of the framemember 656. The frame member 656, adhesive 652, and recessed region 654may be the same as or similar to the frame member 624, adhesive 626, andrecessed region 627, and for brevity those details are not repeatedhere.

The thinned outer region 650 may extend along one or more edges of thecover 640. For example, the thinned outer region 650 may extend alongone edge of the cover 640, and in particular, an edge of the cover 640that is proximate a flexible circuit element 643 of the display stack642. In some cases, the thinned outer region 650 may extend along two,three, or four sides of the cover 640. For example, in the case of asubstantially rectangular cover, the thinned outer region 650 may extendaround the entire outer periphery of the cover 640 (e.g., the thinnedouter region 650 may extend around a display region of the cover 640,where the display region corresponds to a central region of the cover640 through which the display is visible and/or produces graphicaloutputs). The display stack 642 and the flexible circuit element 643 maybe the same as or similar to the display stack 608 and the flexiblecircuit element 622, and for brevity those details are not repeatedhere.

The thinned outer region 650 may facilitate the use of a thinner layerof adhesive 644 (e.g., optically clear or transparent adhesive) toattach the display stack 642 to the cover 640. More particularly, thethinned outer region 650 may allow a flange portion 648 (similar to theflange portion 629, FIG. 6A) to be positioned further towards theexterior surface of the cover 640 (e.g., higher in a vertical direction,as depicted in FIG. 6B), the display stack 642, and thus the flexiblecircuit element 643, may likewise be positioned further towards theexterior surface of the cover 640 without causing the flexible circuitelement 643 to contact or otherwise interfere with the flange portion648. Accordingly, the thickness of the adhesive 644 may be made thinner(e.g., relative to the adhesive 610), resulting in an overall height 658of the display stack 642 and cover 640 that is less than a height of adevice that does not include a cover with a thinned outer region (e.g.,the overall height 658 may be less than the overall height 659 in FIG.6A). In some cases, the adhesive 644 has a thickness of about 150microns, about 125 microns, about 100 microns, or about 75 microns.

The thinned outer region 650 of the cover 640 may have a thickness 641of about 400 microns, and the main portion 647 of the cover 640 (e.g.,the portion to which the display stack 642 is attached and that includesthe graphically active area of the device) may have a thickness 649 ofabout 600 microns. In some cases, the thinned outer region 650 is about100 microns, about 200 microns, or about 300 microns thinner than themain portion 647 of the cover 640. The thickness 641 may be betweenabout 375 microns to about 425 microns, and the thickness 649 may bebetween about 575 microns to about 625 microns.

The cover 640 may define a transition region 646 that extends from thethinned outer region 650 to the main portion 647 of the cover 640. Thetransition region 646 may define a curved portion of the bottom surfaceof the cover 640 that extends from the thinned outer region 650 to themain portion 647 of the cover 640. The transition surface may have acontinuous curve (as shown), or it may have another shape orconfiguration. For example, the transition surface may be fully orpartially planar, and may resemble a chamfered surface.

The cover 640 may be formed in various ways. For example, the cover 640,including its thinned outer region 650, may be formed by molding (e.g.,heating glass or another transparent material and applying a mold orpress to produce the desired shape), machining (e.g., grinding, lapping,or otherwise removing material from a sheet to form the desired shape),and/or by additive manufacturing (e.g., adhering, bonding, or otherwiseattaching a first glass sheet to a second glass sheet to form thedesired shape). Combinations of these processes may also be used to formthe cover 640 and produce the thinned outer region 650.

Covers of the electronic devices described herein may be attached toframe members via an adhesive. As described with respect to FIG. 6A, andshown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a frame member may define a recessed region(e.g., the recessed regions 627, 654), and an adhesive may be placed inthe recessed region. The recessed region may provide a trough-likevolume for the adhesive, while also allowing a flange portion of theframe member to contact the underside of the cover.

FIG. 6C illustrates an example cover and frame member configuration inwhich a flange portion of the frame member does not contact the cover.In particular, FIG. 6C illustrates a cover 660 (which may be the same asor similar to the cover 604) and a frame member 661. The frame member661 defines a recessed region 664 (which defines a bonding surface)defined by a flange portion 662. An adhesive 663 is positioned in therecessed region 664 and bonds the cover 660 to the frame member 661. Inthis configuration, the interior surface of the cover 660 does notcontact a surface 665 of the flange portion 662. Rather, a portion ofthe adhesive 663 is positioned between the surface 665 and the interiorsurface of the cover 660 (e.g., in a gap or space 666 between thesurfaces). By positioning some of the adhesive 663 between the surfaces,the adhesive 663 may provide a compliance or flexibility in the couplingbetween the cover 660 and the frame member 661, which may provideadditional resilience and/or resistance to breaking or other damage inthe event of a drop or other impact event. Further, positioning some ofthe adhesive 663 between the surfaces may allow a greater degree ofcontrol over the positioning of the cover 660 relative to the framemember 661. For example, differences in the thickness of the cover 660or the size or shape of the frame member 661 (e.g., due to manufacturingtolerance) may be accommodated by changing the distance between theinterior surface of the cover 660 and the surface 665 of the framemember 661. In some cases, the adhesive 663 may be deposited on thecover 660 and/or in the recessed region 664 in a flowable state, and thecover 660 and the frame member 661 are attached together using a fixturethat establishes the target relative positions of the cover 660 andframe member 661. Accordingly, the adhesive 663 may flow to fill andaccommodate whatever gap results when the cover 660 and frame member 661are positioned as intended.

FIG. 6D illustrates an example cover and frame member configuration inwhich a frame member defines two flange portions that contact the coverand define two sides or walls of a trough for receiving and containingan adhesive. In particular, FIG. 6D illustrates a cover 670 (which maybe the same as or similar to the cover 604) and a frame member 671. Theframe member 671 defines a recessed region 675 (which defines a bondingsurface) defined by a first flange portion 673 and a second flangeportion 674. The first and second flange portions 673, 674 define atrough or channel that retains an adhesive 672. By using two flangeportions as shown in FIG. 6D, the adhesive may be prevented or inhibitedfrom spilling or flowing out of the recessed region, and may provide animproved bond between the adhesive 672 and the cover 670 and framemember 671. In some cases, the use of two flange portions may allow theuse of a less viscous adhesive due to the additionalcontainment/retention ability of the trough. Further, using two flangeportions may increase the surface area of the contact between the cover670 and the frame member 671, which may reduce stress concentrationsbetween the frame member 671 and the cover 670 and/or provide otherstructural advantages.

FIG. 6E illustrates an example cover and frame member configuration inwhich a ramp structure is used along the bottom surface of the frontcover to deflect a portion of the display stack downwards (e.g., awayfrom the front cover) to help prevent or reduce the risk of contactbetween the display stack and the frame member. For example, FIG. 6Eillustrates a front cover 681 (which may be the same as or similar tothe cover 604), to which a frame member 682 may be attached (asdescribed above). A display stack 687 may be attached to the cover 604via a transparent adhesive 686.

A ramp structure 683 may be positioned between the bottom surface of thefront cover 681 and the display stack 687, and more particularly,between the front cover 681 and a loop 684 of the display stack (whichmay be defined at least in part by a flexible circuit element of thedisplay stack 687). The ramp structure 683 is configured to deflect theloop 684 away from the front cover 681 (e.g., downward as shown in FIG.6E). The ramp structure 683 may have a curved or flat ramp surface(e.g., the surface that contacts the loop 684) and may have a maximumthickness of between about 100 microns and about 200 microns. Themaximum thickness of the ramp structure 683 may equate to a reduction inthickness of the adhesive 686 that adheres the display stack 687 to thefront cover 681. For example, if the adhesive 686 is reduced by about150 microns (and the dimensions of the frame member and front coverremain the same), a ramp structure having a maximum thickness of about150 microns (e.g., the same amount that the adhesive thickness wasreduced) may be used to deflect the loop in order to maintain the sameor similar distance between the loop and the frame member (e.g., thesame distance that was present with the thicker adhesive and no rampstructure). Accordingly, the ramp structure 683 may facilitate the useof thinner adhesives, resulting in thinner devices and/or more spaceinside devices for other components (e.g., larger batteries).

A ramp structure, such as the ramp structure 683, may be formed ofvarious materials and have various configurations. FIGS. 6F-6Iillustrate various example ramp structures. FIG. 6F illustrates thefront cover 681. The front cover 681 may have a mask layer 679 appliedto the bottom surface, a chamfered edge of the front cover 681, and atleast a portion of a side surface of the front cover 681. In FIG. 6F,the ramp structure is defined by a thickened region of the adhesive 688,which is the same adhesive that attaches the display stack to the frontcover 681. The adhesive 688 may be a multi-layer adhesive structure suchas a transparent polymer (with a thicker region defining the rampstructure) with adhesive on the top and bottom surfaces. In some cases,the adhesive 688 may be a monolithic structure, such as an epoxy,liquid, or gel that is formed or molded to include the ramp structure asshown in FIG. 6F. An additional adhesive layer may be used to attach themonolithic structure to the front cover and/or attach the display stackto the monolithic structure.

FIG. 6G illustrates another example ramp structure 690. In this example,the ramp structure 690 may be formed by a stack of layers. The layersthat define the ramp structure 690 may be formed from any suitablematerial, such as a plurality of ink layers, adhesive film layers, dyelayers, or other masking material layers (e.g., the same material as themask layer 679). In some cases, the ramp structure 690 is formed as partof the masking process, where the mask layer 679 is applied, and thenadditional layers of the masking material are added to form the rampstructure 690. In some cases, the multi-layer mask structure isfabricated separately, and then applied (e.g., with an adhesive) to themask layer 679. The adhesive 689 (e.g., a transparent adhesive, whichmay be the same as or similar to the adhesive 686) may be applied to thefront cover 681 and the ramp structure 690, as shown in FIG. 6G.

FIG. 6H illustrates another example ramp structure 691. In this example,the ramp structure 691 may be formed by a folded structure. The foldedstructure that defines the ramp structure 691 may be formed from anysuitable material, such as adhesive films, layers of ink, dye, or othermasking material (e.g., the same material as the mask layer 679). Insome cases, the ramp structure 691 is formed as part of the maskingprocess, where the mask layer 679 is applied, and then additional layersof the masking material are added to form the ramp structure 691. Insome cases, the multi-layer mask structure is fabricated separately, andthen applied (e.g., with an adhesive) to the mask layer 679. Theadhesive 689 (e.g., a transparent adhesive, which may be the same as orsimilar to the adhesive 686) may be applied to the front cover 681 andthe ramp structure 691, as shown in FIG. 6H.

FIG. 6I illustrates another example ramp structure 692. In this example,the ramp structure 692 may be formed by a monolithic ramp component thatis attached to the front cover 681 (e.g., below the mask layer 679). Theramp component may be formed from any suitable material, such as apolymer, foam, or the like. An adhesive (e.g., an adhesive film, aliquid or gel adhesive, or the like) may attach the ramp structure 692to the front cover 681 (e.g., to the mask layer 679). The adhesive 689(e.g., a transparent adhesive, which may be the same as or similar tothe adhesive 686) may be applied to the front cover 681 and the rampstructure 692, as shown in FIG. 6I. In some cases, the adhesive 686 doesnot extend over the ramp structure 692. In such cases, a differentadhesive layer may be applied to the ramp structure 692 to secure theloop of the display stack to the front cover 681. In other cases, ananti-stick coating may be applied to the surface of the ramp structure692 that contacts the display stack. For example, a polyimide,polyethylene terephthalate, polytetrafluoroethylene, or other suitablepolymer material may be adhered to the surface of the ramp structure 692that contacts and deflects the display stack.

As noted above, devices as described herein may include one or moregroups of antennas that include elements that are configured tocommunicate via a 5G wireless protocol (including millimeter wave and/or6 GHz communication signals). FIG. 7 depicts a portion of an electronicdevice 700, with components removed to better illustrate example antennagroups for 5G wireless communications. 5G communications may be achievedusing various different communications protocols. For example, 5Gcommunications may use a communications protocol that uses a frequencyband below 6 GHz (also referred to as the sub-6 GHz spectrum). Asanother example, 5G communications may use a communications protocolthat uses a frequency band above 24 GHz (also referred to as themillimeter-wave spectrum). Further, the particular frequency band of anygiven 5G implementation may differ from others. For example, differentwireless communications providers may use different frequency bands inthe millimeter-wave spectrum (e.g., one provider may implement a 5Gcommunications network using frequencies around 28 GHz, while anothermay use frequencies around 39 GHz). The particular antenna group(s)implemented in a device as described herein may be configured to allowcommunications via one or multiple of the frequency bands that implement5G communications.

The device 700 in FIG. 7 includes at least two groups of antennas, eachconfigured to operate to provide 5G communications using a differentcommunications protocol. For example, the first antenna group includesmultiple antennas to communicate via the sub-6 GHz spectrum, and thesecond antenna group includes multiple antennas to communicate via themillimeter-wave spectrum.

As noted above, the housing members of a device, such as a mobile phone,may be adapted for use as antennas. In the device 700, for example, thehousing 750 may include housing members 701, 703, 705, 707, 709, and711. These housing members may be formed from metal or anotherconductive material, and may be electrically coupled to communicationscircuitry (as described in greater detail herein) in order to causeportions of the housing members to send and/or receive wirelesscommunications. The housing members 701, 703, 705, 707, 709, and 711 maybe coupled together with joining elements 716, 718, 720, 722, 724, and726 to form the housing members into a single structural housingcomponent. For simplicity, the joining elements 716, 718, 720, 722, 724,and 726 are shown as being separate components, though some of thejoining elements may be contiguous (e.g., the joining elements 716 and718 may be parts of a contiguous molded polymer structure).

The joining elements may both mechanically and/or structurally couplethe housing members together, and provide electrical isolation betweenadjacent housing members to facilitate the use of the housing members asradiating antennas. More particularly, with respect to the mechanicalcoupling, a joining element may securely attach to adjacent housingmembers (e.g., via mechanical interlocks between the joining element andthe housing members and/or via adhesive or chemical bonds between thejoining element and the housing members). With respect to the electricalisolation functions, a joining element may provide a requisiteelectrical isolation between an antenna and another conductive component(e.g., another conductive housing member, whether acting as an antennaor a non-radiating structural member) to reduce attenuation of theantenna performance (e.g., due to capacitive coupling between theantenna and the other conductive component). The joining elements may beformed form or include a nonconductive and/or dielectric material, suchas a polymer, fiber-reinforced nylon, epoxy, or the like. Thus, thejoining elements may be referred to herein as nonconductive joiningelements.

The joining elements may be formed by a molding process. For example,the housing members may be placed into a mold or otherwise maintained ina fixed position relative to one another such that gaps are definedbetween adjacent housing members. One or more polymer materials may thenbe injected into the gaps (and optionally into engagement with retentionstructures and/or interlock features defined in the housing members),such that the polymer materials at least partially fill the gaps, andallowed to cure or otherwise harden to form the joining elements. Insome cases, joining elements may be formed from multiple differentmaterials. For example, an inner portion of the joining element may beformed of a first material (e.g., a polymer material), and an outerportion of the joining element (e.g., that defines part of the exteriorsurface of the housing) may be formed of a second material that isdifferent from the first (e.g., a different polymer material). Thematerials may have different properties, which may be selected based onthe different functions of the inner and outer portions of the joiningelements. For example, the inner material may be configured to make themain structural connection between housing members, and may have ahigher mechanical strength and/or toughness than the outer material. Onthe other hand, the outer material may be configured to have aparticular appearance, surface finish, chemical resistance,water-sealing function, or the like, and its composition may be selectedto prioritize those functions over mechanical strength. The joiningelements may be formed from fiber-reinforced polymer, epoxy, or anyother suitable material(s).

In the device 700, at least three segments of the housing are adaptedfor use as antennas for communicating via the sub-6 GHz spectrum. Moreparticularly, the housing members may be adapted for use as antennas byconductively coupling ground lines and feed lines to particularlocations on the housing members (which are conductive and may be formedof or include metal). The particular location of the ground and feedlines on a housing member may in part define the particular wavelengthsfor which the antennas are tuned.

The device 700 includes one example configuration of a first group ofantennas for communicating via the sub-6 GHz spectrum. The first groupof antennas includes a first sub-6 GHz antenna 702, a second sub-6 GHzantenna 704, a third sub-6 GHz antenna 706, and a fourth sub-6 GHzantenna 708. In this example configuration, the first, second, and thirdsub-6 GHz antennas 702, 704, 706 are defined by segments of housingmembers, while the fourth sub-6 GHz antenna 708 is a conductive trace(e.g., on a circuit board) or other radiating element that is positionedwithin the device. The four antennas of the first group of antennas maybe configured to operate according to a 4×4 MIMO (multiple input,multiple output) scheme.

The antennas that are defined by segments of the housing members may besimilar to one another in structure and function. Accordingly, to avoidredundancy, only the first sub-6 GHz antenna 702 will be described indetail. However, it will be understood that the description appliesequally to the second sub-6 GHz antenna 704 and the third sub-6 GHzantenna 706 as well.

The first sub-6 GHz antenna 702 may be defined by a portion of thehousing member 701, and more particularly, a portion of the housingmember 701 that is proximate the joining element 716. In order to sendand receive electromagnetic signals from the first sub-6 GHz antenna702, ground and feed lines may be conductively coupled to the housingmember 701. For example, a ground line may be conductively coupled tolocation 712 and a feed line may be conductively coupled to location710.

The portion of the housing member 701 that acts as the first sub-6 GHzantenna 702 may define structural features 713 and 714. These featuresmay extend from the interior side of the housing member 701 and towardsthe interior volume of the device 700. The features 713, 714 may haveseveral functions, including defining physical mounting locations forthe ground and feed lines, and defining interlock features with whichthe material of the joining elements engage and/or encapsulate to formthe structural coupling between the housing members. While the features713, 714 are shown in FIG. 7 without being encapsulated by or otherwiseengaged with the material of the joining element 716, it will beunderstood that in some cases the material of the joining element 716contacts, engages, and/or at least partially encapsulates the features713 and/or the features 714. Further, while such features are only shownon the housing members 701 and 707, the other housing members mayinclude similar features proximate the joining elements.

As noted above, the second sub-6 GHz antenna 704 and the third sub-6 GHzantenna 706 may have the same or similar structures as the first sub-6GHz antenna 702. In some cases, first, second, and third sub-6 GHzantennas are each configured to communicate via a different frequencyband. Accordingly, the exact shape, length, or other physicalcharacteristic of each of these antennas may differ from one another.

As noted above, the fourth sub-6 GHz antenna 708, which is part of thefirst group of antennas that operates according to a 4×4 MIMO scheme, isa conductive trace or other radiating element that is positioned withinthe device. In some cases, however, a portion of the first housingmember 701 that is proximate the joining element 726 may be configuredto act as the fourth sub-6 GHz antenna. In such case the first housingmember 701 may include structural features similar to those of the firstsub-6 GHz antenna 702 (e.g., the features 713, 714), and ground and feedlines may be similarly coupled to that region of the first housingmember 701 to facilitate transmitting and receiving electromagneticsignals.

While the sub-6 GHz antennas 702, 704, 706, and 708 may be used tocommunicate via the sub-6 GHz spectrum, the device 700 may also (orinstead) include antennas for communicating via the millimeter-wavespectrum. The device 700 may include, for example, a firstmillimeter-wave antenna 730, a second millimeter-wave antenna 732, and athird millimeter-wave antenna 734. Millimeter-wave antennas may be moredirectional and more susceptible to attenuation from occlusion thanantennas for other spectra. For example, with respect to attenuation, ifa user places his or her hand over a millimeter-wave antenna,communications via that antenna may suffer or be completely ceased. Withrespect to directionality, if the millimeter-wave antenna is pointedmore than a certain angle away from a cell tower, the antenna may ceasebeing able to effectively communicate with that cell tower. In order tomitigate these effects, the device may include multiple millimeter-waveantennas strategically positioned to enable wireless communications in anumber of different positions, locations, orientations, or the like. Forexample, in the device 700, the first millimeter-wave antenna 730 may beconfigured as a front-fired antenna (e.g., sending and receivingelectromagnetic signals primarily along a direction that isperpendicular to the front surface of the device). The secondmillimeter-wave antenna 732 may be configured as a rear-fired antenna(e.g., sending and receiving electromagnetic signals primarily along adirection that is perpendicular to the rear surface of the device). Thethird millimeter-wave antenna 734 may be configured as a side-firedantenna (e.g., sending and receiving electromagnetic signals primarilyalong a direction that is perpendicular to a side surface of thedevice). It will be understood that the directional millimeter-waveantennas need not be oriented directly at another antenna in order tocommunicate, but may tolerate slight misalignments (e.g., +/−15 degrees,+/−30 degrees, or another value).

FIG. 8A illustrates the device 700, showing example radiation patternsof the millimeter-wave antennas, and how those radiation patterns areoriented relative to the device 700. For example, the firstmillimeter-wave antenna 730 defines a first radiation pattern 803extending through the front surface 809 of the mobile phone 700, thesecond millimeter-wave antenna 732 defines a second radiation pattern805 extending through the rear surface 813 of the mobile phone, and thethird millimeter-wave antenna 734 defines a third radiation pattern 804extending through the side surface 811 of the mobile phone. As notedabove, the millimeter-wave antennas may be directional antennas (or highgain antennas). Accordingly, the antenna gains of the millimeter-waveantennas may be highest along particular directions. For example, asshown in FIG. 8A and corresponding to the shapes and orientations of theradiation patterns (or lobes) of the millimeter-wave antennas, a firstantenna gain of the first millimeter-wave antenna 730 is highest along afirst primary transmission direction 806 (e.g., perpendicular to thefront surface 809), a second antenna gain of the second millimeter-waveantenna 732 is highest along a second primary transmission direction 808(e.g., perpendicular to the rear surface 813), and a third antenna gainof the third millimeter-wave antenna 734 is highest along a thirdprimary transmission direction (e.g., perpendicular to the side surface811). In this case, the primary transmission directions of the first andsecond millimeter-wave antennas 730, 732 are orthogonal (orsubstantially orthogonal) to the third millimeter-wave antenna 734. Asdescribed below with respect to FIGS. 8B-8D, the radiation patterns andtheir associated transmission directions may provide millimeter-wavereception when the device is being held or used in differentorientations and/or under different use conditions. While the radiationpatterns and/or antenna gains are described with respect to a primarytransmission direction, it will be understood that the transmissiondirection does not exclusively refer to transmission operations (e.g.,sending information to another device, antenna, system, or the like),and instead may encompass and/or relate to both transmitting andreceiving operations. Further, while FIG. 8A shows a single radiationpattern for each of the first, second, and third millimeter-waveantennas, each of the millimeter-wave antennas may include multipleantenna elements, each associated with its own radiation pattern. Thus,for example, the third millimeter-wave antenna 734 may include fourantenna elements, each having a radiation pattern that is similar to thethird radiation pattern 804 in size, shape, gain, and/or primarytransmission direction.

FIGS. 8B-8D illustrate how the millimeter-wave antennas may cooperate toprovide millimeter-wave communications in various different use cases.FIG. 8B illustrates the device 700 in a face-up position on a table 802(which is merely representative of many surfaces that the device 700 maybe placed on). In this condition, the back-fired (or rear-fired)millimeter-wave antenna 732 is facing the table surface, and thus may beoccluded by the table and not oriented towards a cell tower or otherremote antenna. However, the front-fired millimeter-wave antenna 730 andthe side-fired millimeter-wave antenna 734 may be unobstructed (at leastby the table surface). Further, because the front- and side-firedantennas are oriented in different directions (e.g., the front-firedantenna radiating generally perpendicular to the table top and theside-fired antenna radiating generally parallel to the table top), thereis a greater likelihood that at least one of these antennas will besufficiently directed at a cell tower or other remote antenna to enablewireless communications.

FIG. 8C illustrates the device 700 being held in a user's hand in anupright or “portrait” orientation (e.g., with the long axis of thedevice 700 parallel to the height-axis of the user). In this condition,the side-fired millimeter-wave antenna 734 is occluded by the user'shand, and may thus be rendered temporarily ineffective or otherwiseinsufficient. However, the front-fired millimeter-wave antenna 730 andthe rear-fired millimeter-wave antenna 732 may be unobstructed (at leastby the user's hand). Further, because the front- and rear-fired antennasare oriented in different directions (e.g., the front-fired antennaradiating generally towards the user and possibly over the user'sshoulder and/or around his or her body, and the rear-fired antennaradiating away from the user), there is a greater likelihood that atleast one of these antennas will be sufficiently directed at a celltower or other remote antenna to enable wireless communications.

FIG. 8D illustrates the device 700 being held in a user's hand in a“landscape” orientation (e.g., with the long axis of the device 700perpendicular to the height-axis of the user and/or parallel to theground). In this condition, the rear-fired millimeter-wave antenna 732may be occluded by the user's hand, and may thus be rendered temporarilyineffective or otherwise insufficient. However, the side-firedmillimeter-wave antenna 734, and optionally the front-firedmillimeter-wave antenna 730, may be unobstructed (at least by the user'shands). Further, because the front- and side-fired antennas are orientedin different directions (e.g., the front-fired antenna radiatinggenerally towards the user and possibly over the user's shoulder and/oraround his or her body, and the side-fired antenna radiating away fromthe user), there is a greater likelihood that at least one of theseantennas will be sufficiently directed at a cell tower or other remoteantenna to enable wireless communications.

Returning to FIG. 7 , the second (rear-fired) millimeter-wave antenna732 may be coupled to a logic board 736 (which may be an embodiment ofthe logic boards 220, 320, 420, 520, or any other logic board describedherein). In some cases, the second millimeter-wave antenna 732 (whichmay be or may include a passive antenna board) is surface mounteddirectly to the logic board 736. The second millimeter-wave antenna 732may include antenna arrays for two different frequencies (e.g., 28 GHzand 39 GHz, though other frequencies are also possible). Each antennaarray may include four antenna elements, and each antenna element mayhave two different polarizations. By including two different antennaarrays, rather than using the same antenna elements for two differentbands, the second millimeter-wave antenna 732 may have a greater overallbandwidth than an antenna that uses the same antenna elements tocommunicate over two (or more) frequency bands. The greater bandwidth ofthe second millimeter-wave antenna 732 may allow for greater tolerancesin the positioning of the antenna 732 in the device 700 while stillproviding adequate antenna performance.

The device 700 may also include antenna circuitry in a system-in-package(SiP) component 738. The SiP component 738, referred to herein as theSiP 738, may include components such as one or more processors, memory,analog-to-digital converters, filters, amplifiers, power controlcircuitry, or the like. The SiP 738 may be coupled to the logic board736, and may be positioned above the second millimeter-wave antenna 732.The antenna elements in the second millimeter-wave antenna 732 may beconductively coupled to the SiP 738 so that the SiP 738 can processsignals received via the second millimeter-wave antenna 732 and causethe second millimeter-wave antenna 732 to send signals.

The SiP 738 may include antenna circuitry for other antennas as well.For example, the first millimeter-wave antenna 730 may be conductivelycoupled to the SiP 738 via a circuit board 740 (which may be a flexiblecircuit element with conductive traces or other suitable conductor orset of conductors).

FIG. 9A is a partial cross-sectional view of the device 700, viewedalong line 9A-9A in FIG. 7 . The cross-sectional view illustratesexample details of the third (side-fired) millimeter-wave antenna 734 ofthe device 700. The side-fired antenna 734 (also referred to as anantenna module) is secured to an interior of the housing 750 of thedevice 700, and is configured to transmit and receive electromagneticsignals through one or more openings 901 in the side wall of the housing750. The openings 901 may extend through the side wall of the housing750 and may at least partially define an antenna window for theside-fired antenna 734.

The side-fired antenna 734 includes an antenna array 926, which includesa plurality of directional antenna elements. The antenna array 926 mayinclude antenna elements for two different frequencies (e.g., 28 GHz and39 GHz, though other frequencies are also possible). For example, twoantenna elements may be provided for each frequency, and each antennaelement may have two different polarizations. Of course, otherconfigurations of antenna elements are also possible. For example, theantenna array 926 may include four antenna elements for each frequency.

The side-fired antenna 734 may also include antenna circuitry in a SiPcomponent 928. The SiP component 928, referred to herein as the SiP 928,may include components such as one or more processors, memory,analog-to-digital converters, filters, amplifiers, power controlcircuitry, or the like. The SiP 928 may be conductively coupled to thelogic board 736 (e.g., via a flexible circuit element 934, FIG. 9B). Theantenna elements in the antenna array 926 may be conductively coupled tothe SiP 928 so that the SiP 928 can process signals received via theantenna array 926 and cause the antenna array 926 to send signals.

A spacer 930 may be positioned between the SiP component 928 and abracket 932. The bracket 932 may secure components of the side-firedantenna 734 to the housing 750, as shown and described in greater detailwith respect to FIG. 9B.

The side wall of the housing 750 (shown in FIG. 9B) may be configured tofunction as a waveguide for guiding electromagnetic signals to and fromthe antenna array 926. The waveguide may be defined by a passage or hole921 through the side wall of the housing 750. The passage 921 may bedefined in part by walls 922 that extend from an exterior side surfaceof the side wall of the housing 750 to an interior surface of thehousing 750. As shown, the walls 922 are angled such that the opening onthe exterior side surface is offset from the opening on the interiorsurface of the housing. More particularly, the center of the opening inthe exterior side surface of the side wall may be vertically offset fromthe center of the opening in the interior side of the housing 750.

The vertical offset of the openings defines a generally non-horizontallyaligned passage (relative to the orientation shown in FIG. 9A), whichallows the internal components of the side-fired antenna 734 to beoffset from a central axis of the device 700 while also allowing theopening 901 in the exterior side surface to be vertically centered inthe exterior side surface. For example, the height 908 of the housing750 above the opening 901 may be the same as the height 910 of thehousing 750 below the opening 901. By aligning the opening 901 with themiddle of the side surface (e.g., the middle along the verticaldirection), the structural integrity (e.g., stiffness, strength, etc.)of the housing 750 may be higher than if the opening 901 were offsetvertically from the center of the side surface (e.g., because the amountof housing material above the opening 901 would be different from theamount below, leading to one side being weaker than the other). Further,the central alignment of the opening 901 provides an overall symmetricaland balanced appearance to the device 700.

The side-fired antenna 734 may include a cover element 920 (alsoreferred to as an insert) within part of the passage 921. The insert 920may be a plastic, glass, or other material (e.g., a nonconductivematerial) insert, and may be adhered to the antenna array 926 via anadhesive 924. Notably, there may be no air gap between the antenna array926 and the insert 920. The ability to construct the side-fired antenna734 without an air gap between the antenna array 926 and the insert 920may be due at least in part to the particular materials and otherproperties of the adhesive 924 and the insert 920. The insert 920 may beplaced into the passage 921, or it may be formed in place by, forexample, injecting a polymer material into the passage 921 and allowingthe polymer material to cure or otherwise harden.

The device 700 may also include a cover element 912 positioned in thepassage 921 and defining part of the exterior side surface of the device700 (e.g., in conjunction with the exterior side surface of the housing750). The cover element 912 may be formed of glass, sapphire,glass-ceramic, plastic, or any other suitable material (e.g.,nonconductive material). The thickness of the cover element 912 may bedetermined at least in part on the material being used and the effect ofthe material (and the dimensions) on the electromagnetic signals passingthrough the passage 921. For example, in order to achieve the same orsimilar electromagnetic performance, the thickness of the cover element912 may be greater if it is formed of glass than if it is formed fromsapphire. If the cover element 912 is formed of sapphire, a spacer layer(e.g., a plastic, epoxy, or other suitable material) may be includedbetween the cover element 912 and an adhesive (e.g., the adhesive 924)that secures the cover to the device 700.

The cover element 912 may include a mask layer 914, which may be appliedto the back or front surface of the cover element 912. As shown, themask layer 914 is applied to the back surface of the cover element 912.The mask layer 914 may be an ink, dye, film, paint, coating, or othermaterial, and may be visible through the cover element 912. The masklayer 914 may be opaque. The mask layer 914 may also be a single layer,or it may include multiple sub-layers.

The cover element 912 may be secured to the housing 750 via an adhesive916, and a sealing material 918 may be positioned over the seam betweenthe insert 920 and the walls of the passage 921. The adhesive 916 mayalso adhere the cover element 912 to the insert 920.

The sealing material 918 may be a polyurethane or any other suitablesealing material, and may be configured to prevent or limit ingress ofliquids (e.g., water, sweat, etc.) and/or other contaminants into thedevice 700 through the seam. The sealing material 918 may be applied asa continuous sheet over the insert 920 and the surfaces of the housingthat surround the insert 920. A central portion of the sealing material918 may then be removed (e.g., by laser ablation or another suitabletechnique) to reveal a surface of the insert 920 to which the adhesive916 may be applied. The adhesive 916 may be a film, a liquid, or anyother suitable adhesive.

The passage 921 may include a recess 923 that accommodates part of thesealing material 918. In particular, the recess 923 may be configured sothat the seam between the insert 920 and the housing material issubstantially flat or planar, thus defining a flat surface on which toapply the sealing material 918. The recess 923 may be formed bymachining, using a T-slot bit.

FIG. 9B is an exploded view of the side-fired antenna 734, illustratingadditional details of the configuration of the antenna 734 and itscomponents and the antenna window formed in the side wall of the housing750. As described above, the side-fired antenna 734 includes a coverelement 912, a mask layer 914 (which may be applied to the cover), anadhesive 916, a sealing material 918, an additional cover element 920(or insert), an adhesive 924, an antenna array 926, a SiP 928, aflexible circuit element 934 (coupled to the antenna array 926 and/orSiP 928 via an electrical connector 940), a spacer 930, and a bracket932.

In some cases, the housing includes multiple passages or holes 921extending through the side wall of the housing 750 and at leastpartially defining the antenna window for the side-fired antenna. Theholes 921 may be formed along a bottom surface of a recessed region 925,as shown. For example, the cover element 912, mask layer 914, adhesive916, and sealing material 918 may be positioned within the recessedregion 925.

Each passage or hole 921 may include its own insert 920, and may beassociated with a single antenna element in the antenna array 926. Moreparticularly, for each respective passage 921, the antenna array 926 mayinclude a respective antenna element aligned with that passage. In thisway, the passages, which act as waveguides for the antenna elements, maydirect electromagnetic signals to and from individual antenna elements.The passages 921 may be separated from adjacent passages by ribs 948.The ribs 948 may be formed by removing material from the housing 750 todefine the passages and the ribs. Accordingly, the ribs 948 may beintegral with (e.g., formed from the same block of material as) the restof the housing member in which the passages are formed. In other cases,the ribs may be separate components that are attached to the housing750. In some cases, the ribs may be omitted, and a single hole orpassage may be defined through the side wall to facilitate antennaoperation (e.g., transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signalsthrough the side wall of the housing 750).

The device 700 may also include a set of anchor members 942. The anchormembers 942 may include alignment features (e.g., posts) that areconfigured to engage with corresponding alignment features (e.g., blindholes) in the housing 750. When engaged with the housing 750, the anchormembers 942 may provide surfaces and/or other features that guide oralign the components of the side-fired antenna 734 in a target locationand/or position.

A ground path may be defined from the housing 750 to the electricalcomponents of the side-fired antenna 734, such as the antenna array 926and SiP 928, to provide an electrical ground to the side-fired antenna734. For example, a fastener 936, which may be conductive, may bethreaded into the housing 750, thereby conductively coupling thefastener 936 to the housing 750 (which may define an electrical groundplane of the device 700). The flexible circuit element 934 may include agrounding and attachment lug 938, which may include a hole through theflexible circuit element and a conductive material that surrounds or isproximate the hole. The fastener 936 extends through the hole of thegrounding and attachment lug 938 and contacts the conductive material ofthe grounding and attachment lug 938 when the fastener 936 is installed,thereby conductively coupling the conductive material of the groundingand attachment lug 938 (which may be conductively coupled to orotherwise define an electrical ground of the flexible circuit element934) to the housing 750. In this way, a ground path may be establishedbetween the flexible circuit element 934 and the housing 750. Theconductive material of the grounding and attachment lug 938 may alsocontact one of the anchor members 942, which is in turn conductivelycoupled to the housing 750. Thus, the ground path from the flexiblecircuit element 934 to the housing may also be defined by or via theanchor member 942.

The fasteners 936 may be any suitable fasteners, such as screws, and mayalso retain the components of the side-fired antenna 734 in position.More particularly, the bracket 932, which is held in place by thefasteners 936, may capture and retain components of the antenna 734between itself and the housing 750. The bracket 932 may also act as aheat sink or otherwise serve to spread and/or dissipate heat from theantenna components.

FIG. 10A is a partially exploded view of the first (front-fired)millimeter-wave antenna 730 (also referred to as an antenna module). Thefront-fired antenna 730 may include four antenna elements 1002, 1004,1006, and 1008. The antenna elements 1002, 1004, 1006, and 1008 may bedirectional antenna elements that define radiation patterns with theirhighest gains along primary transmission directions, as described withrespect to FIG. 8A. The primary transmission directions of the antennaelements 1002, 1004, 1006, and 1008 may be parallel to one another, andmay extend through the front cover of a device (or any cover or wall ofthe device that they are positioned below).

The antenna elements 1002, 1004, 1006, and 1008 may be formed from adielectric material such as zirconia (or another suitable ceramic orother material). In some cases, the antenna elements may be formed of amaterial having a dielectric constant (also referred to as relativepermittivity) higher than about 20. In some cases, the dielectricconstant is between about 21 and about 24, or between about 27 and about30. In cases where the antenna elements 1002, 1004, 1006, and 1008 areceramic, they may be referred to as ceramic posts.

The four directional antenna elements of the front-fired antenna 730 mayinclude two first directional antenna elements 1002, 1004 configured tooperate at a first frequency band (e.g., 28 GHz), and two seconddirectional antenna elements 1006, 1008 configured to operate at asecond frequency band (e.g., 39 GHz). The size and shape of the antennaelements may define the resonant frequency or frequency band for theantenna elements. Thus, for example, the first antenna elements 1002,1004 may have a different (e.g., greater) size in the x-dimension and inthe y-dimension than the second antenna elements 1006, 1008, thuscausing the first and second antenna elements to have different resonantfrequencies and thereby communicate on different frequency bands. Insome cases, the x- and y-dimensions of the first antenna elements 1002,1004 are about 1.1 mm by about 1.1 mm, and the x- and y-dimensions ofthe second antenna elements 1006, 1008 are about 0.8 mm by about 0.8 mm.

The antenna elements of the front-fired antenna 730 may includeconductive contact pads, such as the conductive contact pads 1012, 1014on the antenna element 1008. (While not separately labeled, similarconductive contact pads may be provided on the other antenna elements1002, 1004, and 1006 as well.) The conductive contact pads may beconfigured to conductively couple the antenna elements to other antennacircuitry (e.g., via conductors in the circuit board 740). For example,the conductive contact pads may be soldered to the circuit board 740.

The conductive contact pads may be formed by metallizing the antennaelements, such as with electroplating, metal deposition (e.g., plasmavapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition), or any other suitabletechnique. In some cases, a metal or conductive film is applied to theantenna elements to form the conductive contact pads. In some cases, theheight of the conductive contact pads in the z-dimension may affect thetuning of the antenna elements (e.g., the resonant frequency of theantenna element, the efficiency of the antenna element, etc.). In somecases, the other dimensions of the conductive contact pads (e.g., athickness, a width) may differ between the antenna elements as well.While only two conductive contact pads are visible on each antennaelement, the non-visible sides of the antenna elements may also includeconductive contact pads (e.g., opposite the visible conductive contactpads). In some cases where four conductive contact pads are provided,only two conductive contact pads (e.g., two non-parallel contact pads)are used to conductively couple the antenna element to other antennacircuitry.

Each antenna element may have two polarizations, with the conductivecontact pads providing the signals to and from the antenna elements forthe different polarizations. For example, a first conductive contact pad1012 may be configured to excite the second antenna element 1008according to a first polarization, while the second conductive contactpad 1014 may be configured to excite the second antenna element 1008according to a second polarization (e.g., orthogonal to the firstpolarization). This configuration may allow each antenna element tosimultaneously send and/or receive two separate electromagnetic signals.

As noted above, the first antenna elements 1002, 1004 may operate atdifferent frequencies than the second antenna elements 1006, 1008. Theuse of multiple antenna elements for each frequency may facilitatetechniques such as beam-forming. To facilitate beam-forming operations,the antenna elements that share the same frequency may be separated fromone another by a particular distance. For example, the first antennaelements 1002, 1004 may be separated by a distance 1005, and the secondantenna elements 1006, 1008 may be separated by a distance 1007, whichmay be different than the distance 1005 (e.g., less than or greater thanthe distance 1005). In some cases, the distances (e.g., the gaps)between the antenna elements is not uniform. The particular distancesmay be defined at least in part on the frequencies on which the antennaelements operate, operational parameters of a wireless communicationprotocol, or the like.

The antenna elements 1002, 1004, 1006, and 1008 may be at leastpartially encapsulated or encased in a cover structure 1010. The coverstructure 1010 may be a molded polymer material (e.g., afiber-reinforced polymer), and it may provide structural support to theantenna elements. The cover structure 1010 may be molded around theantenna elements after they are attached to the circuit board 740, or itmay be formed separately and then attached to the circuit board 740(either before or after the antenna elements are connected to thecircuit board 740). In some cases, the cover structure 1010 contactssubstantially all of the surfaces of the antenna elements. In somecases, the cover structure 1010 defines air gaps between adjacentantenna elements, such as by defining one or more cavities within thecover structure 1010. FIG. 10C illustrates an example front-firingantenna with a cover structure 1010 that defines air gaps betweenadjacent antenna elements.

FIG. 10B illustrates another example of a front-firing antenna 1020. Inthis example, instead of metallizing the antenna elements to produce theconductive contact pads, conductive contacts 1026 may be attached to thecircuit substrate 1028 (which may be similar to the circuit board 740,and may be a flexible circuit element with conductive traces or othersuitable conductor or set of conductors). The antenna elements 1024,which may lack the conductive contact pads but be otherwise similar tothe antenna elements 1002, 1004, 1006, and 1008, may be coupled to thecircuit substrate 1028 after the conductive contacts 1026 are attached.The conductive contacts 1026 may be attached to the circuit substrate1028 prior to the antenna elements 1024 being attached and prior to thecover structure 1022 (which may be similar to the cover structure 1010)being attached or formed around the antenna elements 1024.Alternatively, the conductive contacts 1026 may be integrated with thecover structure 1022 (e.g., by insert molding the cover structure 1022around the conductive contacts 1026 to at least partially encapsulatethe conductive contacts 1026), and then the cover structure 1022 withthe conductive contacts 1026 may be attached to the circuit substrate1028. The conductive contacts 1026 may have different sizes, and thesizes may at least partially define or affect the tuning of the antennaelements. For example, the height of the conductive contacts 1026 in thez-dimension (e.g., the height of the portion of the conductive contacts1026 that is in contact with the side of the antenna element) may affectthe tuning of the antenna elements (e.g., the resonant frequency of theantenna element, the efficiency of the antenna element, etc.).Accordingly, the conductive contacts 1026 on the antenna elements thatare configured to operate at one frequency may have different dimensionsthan those on the antenna elements that are configured to operate at adifferent frequency. In some cases, the other dimensions of theconductive contacts 1026 (e.g., a thickness, a width) may differ betweenthe antenna elements as well.

FIG. 10C is a partially exploded view of another example (front-fired)millimeter-wave antenna 1037. The front-fired antenna 1037 may includeantenna elements 1034 (which may be embodiments of other antennaelements described herein, such as the antenna elements 1002, 1004,1006, and 1008. The front-fired antenna 1037 may also include a coverstructure 1030, which may be similar in materials and function to othercover structures described herein, such as the cover structures 1010,1022. The cover structure 1030 may define air gaps 1031 between adjacentantenna elements 1034. Because air has a lower dielectric constant thanmany materials, such as a plastic from which the cover structure 1030may be formed, the air gaps 1031 may help reduce the average oreffective dielectric constant between the antenna elements. In somecases, the presence of, as well as the sizes and shapes of, the air gaps1031 may improve the operation of the antenna as compared to a coverstructure without air gaps. The air gaps 1031 may also allow the spacingbetween the antenna elements 1034 to be reduced, relative to a solidcover structure, resulting in a smaller overall size of the antenna 1037as compared to other constructions.

The antenna 1037 may be formed by a molding process. For example, anantenna element subassembly may be formed by a process in whichconductive contacts 1038 (which may be embodiments of the conductivecontacts 1026) and the antenna elements 1034 are placed in a first moldsuch that the conductive contacts 1038 are in contact with the antennaelements 1034 at a target location and position (e.g., as shown in FIGS.10A and/or 10B). A first polymer material may then be introduced intothe first mold to partially encapsulate the conductive contacts 1038 andat least partially surround the antenna elements 1034. The first polymermaterial may be allowed to cure or otherwise harden to form retentionstructures 1036. The retention structures may secure the conductivecontacts 1038 in position and in contact with the antenna elements 1034.

The antenna element subassemblies may then be placed into a second mold,along with a mounting tab 1032, and a second polymer material (which maybe different from the first polymer material and may be injected at atemperature that is lower than a melting or softening temperature of thefirst polymer material) may be injected into the second mold to form thecover structure 1030. The second polymer material may be allowed to cureor otherwise harden, thereby retaining the antenna element subassembliestogether and in their target orientations and positions (e.g., with theappropriate spaces between the antenna elements 1034). The mounting tab1032 may be configured to engage a screw or other fastener to assist inretaining the antenna 1037 in an intended position in a device.

As shown in FIG. 10C, the retention structures 1036 may define holes1039 that extend through the retention structures 1036 and expose theconductive contacts 1038. While only two holes are labeled in FIG. 10C,each retention structure 1036 may define one hole for each conductivecontact 1038 that it at least partially encapsulates. The holes mayresult from the presence, during the first molding operation, of toolsthat apply a force to the conductive contacts 1038 to retain theconductive contacts 1038 in contact with the antenna elements 1034during the molding operation. After the first polymer material isintroduced into the first mold (and optionally after the first polymermaterial is cured and/or hardened), the tools may be removed to revealthe holes 1039. The holes may be used to inspect the antenna elementsubassemblies. For example, a measuring tool (e.g., a laser) may bedirected onto the conductive contacts 1038 through the holes, as well asonto the exposed surfaces of the antenna elements 1034, to determine aposition differential. If the position differential for a givenconductive member is greater than a thickness of the conductive member,it may be assumed that there is an air gap between the conductive memberand the surface of the antenna element 1034 to which the conductivemember is intended to contact. If the position differential is too great(e.g., if an air gap is likely to exist), the antenna elementsubassembly may be rejected.

FIG. 10D is a side view of the antenna 1037. As shown in FIG. 10D, thewidths of the air gaps 1031 are not uniform, and their sizes may beselected based on their effect on antenna performance, tuning, and/orother properties. For example, as the dielectric properties of thematerials between antenna elements may affect the operation of theantenna, the sizes of the air gaps 1031 may be selected in order toproduce a desired dielectric performance (e.g., average or effectivedielectric constant) between the antenna elements.

FIG. 10E shows a bottom view of the antenna 1037. As shown in FIG. 10E,the retention structures 1036 extend around the antenna elements 1034and hold the conductive contacts 1038 in place against the antennaelements 1034. Further, the conductive contacts 1038 are exposed alongthe bottom of the antenna 1037 so that they can be conductively coupledto another component, such as the circuit substrate 1028.

Other techniques may also be used to produce millimeter wave antennassuch as those described with respect to FIGS. 10A-10E. For example, aclamshell-like cover structure may be formed prior to insertion of theantenna elements. The antenna elements (or antenna elementsubassemblies) may thereafter be introduced into position and theclamshell cover structure may be closed to at least partiallyencapsulate the antenna elements (or antenna element subassemblies). Asanother example, the conductive contacts and the cover structure (andoptionally retention structures and a mounting tab) may be formedtogether into a cover structure subassembly (e.g., by insert molding),and the antenna elements may thereafter be introduced (e.g., press-fit)into openings defined in the cover structure subassembly.

As noted above, portions of a metal or conductive housing of a devicemay be used as antenna elements to send and receive wireless signals.More particularly, the portions of the metal or conductive housing mayact as the radiating elements of antennas. FIG. 7 , for example, showsan example device 700 that uses metal housing members to define antennaelements for the sub-6 GHz spectrum. Metal housing members may be usedto define antenna elements for other frequencies and/or protocols inaddition to the sub-6 GHz antennas described with respect to FIG. 7 .FIG. 11 is a schematic representation of a portion of a housing 1100formed of multiple conductive housing members joined together withjoining elements. FIG. 11 also schematically represents exampleconnection points on the housing members where feed and/or ground linesmay be conductively coupled to the housing members to carryelectromagnetic signals from the housing member to other antennacircuitry (and from the antenna circuitry to the housing member).

As shown in FIG. 11 , the housing 1100 may include a first housingmember 1102 that defines a portion of a first side surface 1142 as wellas a first corner surface 1150 and part of a second side surface 1144.The first housing member 1102 is structurally coupled to a secondhousing member 1104 via a first joining element 1114. As noted above,joining elements, such as the joining element 1114, may be formed from apolymer material (e.g., a fiber-reinforced polymer) that canstructurally join housing members while also providing sufficientelectrical isolation between the housing members to allow them to act asantenna elements.

The housing 1100 also includes a second housing member 1104 that definesa portion of the second side surface 1144 and is structurally coupled toa third housing member 1106 via a second joining element 1116. The thirdhousing member 1106 defines part of the second side surface 1144 as wellas a second corner surface 1152.

The third housing member 1106 also defines part of a third side surface1146 of the housing and is structurally connected to a fourth housingmember 1108 via a third joining element 1118. The fourth housing member1108 also defines a portion of the third side surface 1146, a thirdcorner surface 1154, and part of the fourth side surface 1148.

The fourth housing member 1108 is coupled to a fifth housing member 1110via a fourth joining element 1120. The fifth housing member 1110 definesa portion of the fourth side surface 1148 and is coupled to a sixthhousing member 1112 via a fifth joining element 1122. The sixth housingmember 1112 defines a portion of the fourth side surface 1148, a fourthcorner surface 1156, and a portion of the first side surface 1142. Thesixth housing member 1112 is structurally connected to the first housingmember 1102 via a sixth joining element 1125.

Each of the joining elements of the housing 1100 may define a portion ofan exterior surface of the housing 1100. Thus, the exterior sidesurfaces of the housing 1100 may be defined entirely or substantiallyentirely by the housing members and the joining elements.

In order to operate as antenna elements, the housing members of thehousing 1100 may be conductively coupled to antenna circuitry,electrical ground planes, and the like. The particular locations of theconnection points on the housing members, as well as the sizes andshapes of the housing members, may at least partially define parametersof the antenna elements. Example antenna parameters may include resonantfrequency, range, radiation pattern, efficiency, bandwidth, directivity,gain, or the like.

FIG. 11 illustrates example positions for the connection points of feedand ground lines to the housing members. For example, feed and groundlines may be conductively coupled to the first housing member 1102 atconnection points 1124-1, 1124-2, thereby facilitating wirelesscommunication via the first housing member 1102.

Feed and ground lines may be conductively coupled to the second housingmember 1104 at connection points 1128-1, 1128-2 and optionally atconnection points 1126-1, 1126-2. The portion of the second housingmember 1104 between or proximate the connection points 1126-1, 1126-2may act as one antenna element, while the portion of the second housingmember 1104 between or proximate the connection points 1128-1, 1128-2may act as another, independent antenna element (e.g., it may send andreceive electromagnetic signals independently of the antenna elementbetween the connection points 1126-1, 1126-2, despite being defined bythe same housing member 1102). While FIG. 11 illustrates connectionpoints 1126-1, 1126-2, these may be omitted in some implementations,such as in the device 700 of FIG. 7 , which uses a conductive element ona circuit board as an antenna element in that corner of the deviceinstead of using a housing member.

Feed and ground lines may be conductively coupled to the third housingmember 1106 at connection points 1130-1, 1130-2, and to the fourthhousing member 1108 at connection points 1132-1, 1132-2 and connectionpoints 1134-1, 1134-2. The fourth housing member 1108 may definedifferent antenna element configurations depending on which feed andground lines are used at a given time. For example, in a first mode, theconnection points 1132-1, 1132-2 are used, such that the fourth housingmember 1108 is configured to communicate via a first communicationsprotocol (or frequency), and in a second mode, the connection points1134-1, 1134-2 are used, such that the fourth housing member 1108 isconfigured to communicate via a second communications protocol (offrequency) that differs from the first.

Feed and ground lines may be conductively coupled to the fifth housingmember 1110 at connection points 1136-1, 1136-2, and at connectionpoints 1138-1, 1138-2. Similar to the configuration of the secondhousing member 1104, the portion of the fifth housing member 1110between or proximate the connection points 1136-1, 1136-2 may act as oneantenna element, while the portion of the fifth housing member 1110between or proximate the connection points 1138-1, 1138-2 may act asanother, independent antenna element (e.g., it may send and receiveelectromagnetic signals independently of the antenna element between theconnection points 1136-1, 1136-2, despite being defined by the samehousing member 1110). Feed and ground lines may also be conductivelycoupled to the sixth housing member 1112 at connection points 1140-1,1140-2.

As noted above, the housing members of the herein described devicehousings may be used to form multiple groups or sets of antennas, witheach group or set communicating via a different communication protocolor frequency band. For example, the housing may define multiple antennasof a first MIMO antenna array or group (e.g., for a 4G communicationprotocol) as well as multiple antennas of a second MIMO antenna array(e.g., for a 5G communication protocol). In one non-limiting exampleconfiguration, the antenna elements defined by the connection points1124, 1130, 1132, 1134, and 1140 may be configured to operate as part ofa first MIMO antenna array (e.g., for a 4G communication protocol),while the antenna elements defined by the connection points 1126 (ifprovided), 1128, 1136, and 1138 may be configured to operate as part ofa second MIMO antenna array (e.g., for a 5G communication protocol). Forany given antenna group, the antenna elements of that group do not allneed to be housing members. For example, the second MIMO antenna arrayor group may use an internal antenna (e.g., the antenna 708, FIG. 7 ) asone of the antennas in a 4×4 MIMO array.

As described above, conductive housing members, which may act as aradiating structure of an antenna or antenna system, may be structurallycoupled together via joining elements. The joining elements may beformed from a polymer material or other dielectric material that canprovide sufficient electrical isolation between housing members tofacilitate the use of the housing members as radiating structures forantennas. In some cases, the joining elements include one, two, or moremolded elements, which are molded into a gap between the housing membersand into engagement with the housing members. Because the joiningelements structurally retain housing members together, a strongengagement between the joining elements and the housing members may bepreferred. Accordingly, the housing members may include or definestructures and/or features that a joining element engages in order toretain the joining element to the housing members, and thereby retainthe housing members together.

FIG. 12A illustrates an example housing member 1200 that includesfeatures with which a joining element may engage. The portion of thehousing member shown in FIG. 12A may correspond generally to the area12A-12A in FIG. 7 .

The housing member 1200 may be formed from or include a conductivematerial, such as stainless steel, aluminum, a metal alloy or the like,and may be conductively coupled to an antenna circuit (e.g., via feedand/or ground lines, as described above) to act as a radiating structurefor a device. The portion of the housing member 1200 shown in FIG. 12Amay abut and/or engage with a joining element, as shown in FIG. 12B.

The housing member 1200 defines a first interlock feature 1202 thatextends inwardly (e.g., towards an interior of the device) from asidewall 1201 defined by the housing member 1200. The first interlockfeature 1202 may extend from an interior side 1205 of the housing member1200, where the interior side 1205 is opposite an exterior side 1203.

The sidewall 1201 may define an exterior surface of the device of whichthe housing member 1200 is a part. The first interlock feature 1202 maydefine a first hole 1204 and one or more second holes 1206. When ajoining element is formed by injecting or otherwise molding a moldablematerial against the housing member 1200, the moldable material may atleast partially surround and/or encapsulate the first interlock feature1202, and may flow into and optionally through the first and secondholes 1204, 1206. By at least partially encapsulating the interlockfeature 1202 and flowing into and/or through the first and second holes1204, 1206, the joining elements may be structurally interlocked withthe housing member 1200, thereby securely retaining the joining elementto the housing member 1200.

The housing member 1200 may also define a second interlock feature, suchas a recess 1210, which may be an indentation, cavity, or other similarfeature that is recessed relative to an end surface 1208 of the housingmember 1200. The end surface 1208 of the housing member 1200 may be theportion of the housing member 1200 that extends closest to anotherhousing member to which the housing member 1200 is coupled via a joiningelement. The end surface 1208 may be offset from an end surface 1209defined by the first interlock feature 1202. More particularly, the endsurface 1209 may be recessed relative to the end surface 1208 (e.g.,along a direction that is perpendicular to the end surfaces 1208, 1209).

The recess 1210 may have a depth between about 100 microns and about1000 microns, and may have a width (e.g., the left-to-right dimension asdepicted in FIG. 12A) between about 100 microns and about 400 microns,and a length (e.g., the top-to-bottom dimension as depicted in FIG. 12A)between about 750 microns and about 3000 microns. In some cases, thehousing member 1200 may also define pores along the end surface 1208and/or the end surface 1209. The pores may be formed on the end surfaces1208 and/or 1209, and may also be formed on the surface of the recess1210. The pores may be a distinct structure than the recess 1210. Forexample, the recess 1210 may have a length dimension greater than about1000 microns and a width dimension greater than about 100 microns, whilethe pores may have length and/or width dimensions less than about 10microns. Similarly, the recess 1210 may have a depth greater than about100 microns, while the pores may have a depth less than about 10microns. In some cases, the pores are formed by chemical etching,abrasive blasting, laser or plasma etching, or the like. The material ofthe joining element may extend or flow into the pores during formationof the joining element and engage and/or interlock with the pores tosecure the joining element to the housing member 1200. In some cases,the pores are formed after the recess 1210 is formed, such that thepores are present on the surface of the recess 1210. In other cases, thepores are formed prior to formation of the recess 1210, such that thesurface of the recess 1210 lacks the pores, or has a different surfacemorphology and/or topography than the end surface on which the pores areformed (e.g., the end surface 1208 may have pores from a chemicaletching, while the recess 1210 may have machine marks from a machiningprocess). In some cases, the largest dimension (e.g., length, width,depth) of the pores is at least an order of magnitude smaller than thelargest dimension (e.g., length, width, depth) of the recess 1210.

The housing member 1200 may define a flange portion 1207 that isadjacent to and/or extends along a peripheral side of a top module(which may include a cover member, a display, touch-sensing components,and the like). In some cases, the second interlock feature 1210 (e.g.,the recess, as shown) is positioned in the flange portion 1207, therebyreinforcing the portion of the joint that is along the side of the topmodule. More particularly, the flange portion 1207 may define acantilever that extends away from the first interlock feature 1202, andthe second interlock feature 1210 may provide a supplementalinterlocking engagement with a joining element to help prevent or limitseparation or detachment of the flange portion 1207 from the joiningelement (e.g., the joining element 1212, FIG. 12B). The flange mayextend along a direction (e.g., the vertical direction in FIG. 12A,which may be parallel to an exterior side surface defined by the housingmember 1200 and/or perpendicular to the front surface defined by a covermember of the device), and the second interlock feature 1210 may be anelongate recess or channel with a longitudinal axis that extendsparallel to the exterior side surface of the housing member (e.g., alongthe same direction that the flange extends from the first interlockfeature 1202).

When a moldable material is flowed into place (e.g., between the housingmember 1200 and another housing member) to form a joining element, themoldable material may flow into and at least partially fill the recess1210, thereby forming a corresponding protrusion in the moldablematerial. When the moldable material is then cured or otherwisehardened, the protrusion of the joining element and the recess 1210interlock with one another. The interlock between the recess 1210 andthe protrusion may help prevent separation of the joining element andthe housing member 1200. Further, the position of the recess 1210relative to the exterior surface defined by the sidewall 1201 may helpimprove the structural rigidity of the joint and help maintain thealignment (and mechanical coupling) between the housing member 1200, thejoining element, and the adjoining housing member in the event of a dropor other impact event. For example, while the first interlock feature1202 may provide substantial structural strength to the interfacebetween the joining element and the housing member 1200, its position isfurther inboard (e.g., relatively nearer the internal volume of ahousing) than the recess 1210. By contrast, the further outboardposition of the recess 1210 (e.g., relatively nearer the externalsurface of the housing member 1200) may improve the strength andstability of the alignment between the exterior surfaces of the housingmembers and the joining element.

FIG. 12B is a partial cross-sectional view of the housing member 1200(joined to another housing member 1216 via a joining element 1212),viewed along line 12B-12B in FIG. 12A. The joining element 1212 may bepositioned between and in contact with the end surface 1208 of thehousing member 1200 and a corresponding end surface 1217 of the housingmember 1216. The joining element 1212 may also extend into and interlockwith the recess 1210 of the housing member 1200, as well as a recess1214 defined by the housing member 1216. In addition to the mechanicalinterlocking between the joining element 1212 and the recesses 1210,1214 (and/or other retention structures and/or interlock features), themoldable material of the joining element 1212 may form a chemical orother adhesive bond with the material of the housing members 1200, 1216.

The exterior surfaces of the joining element 1212 and the housingmembers 1200, 1216 may define a smooth continuous exterior surface 1213of the housing. For example, any gaps, seams, or other discontinuitiesbetween the joining element 1212 and the housing members 1200, 1216along the exterior surface 1213 of the housing may be undetectable tothe touch and/or to the unaided eye. For example, a fingernail slidingalong the exterior surface 1213 may not catch on the seam between thejoining element 1212 and the housing members 1200, 1216. In some cases,any gap, seam, or other discontinuity between the joining element 1212and the housing members 1200, 1216 may be less than about 200 microns,less than about 100 microns, less than about 50 microns, less than about20 microns, or less than about 10 microns (in depth, length, offset,and/or other dimension). The interlock between the joining element 1212and the recesses 1210, 1214 may help prevent or inhibit relative motionbetween the housing members 1200, 1216 and the joining element 1212,such as relative motion of these components along a vertical direction(as oriented in FIG. 12B). Accordingly, the recesses 1210, 1214 may helpmaintain the substantially seamless texture and appearance between thejoining element 1212 and the housing members 1200, 1216.

FIG. 12C illustrates another example housing member 1220 that includesfeatures with which a joining element may engage. The housing member1220 may be formed from or include a conductive material, such asstainless steel, aluminum, a metal alloy or the like, and may beconductively coupled to an antenna circuit (e.g., via feed and/or groundlines, as described above) to act as a radiating structure for a device.The portion of the housing member 1220 shown in FIG. 12C may abut and/orengage with a joining element, as shown in FIG. 12D.

The housing member 1220 defines a first interlock feature 1222 thatextends inwardly (e.g., towards an interior of the device) from asidewall 1221 defined by the housing member 1220. The first interlockfeature 1222 may extend from an interior side of the housing member 1220(e.g., analogous to the interior side 1205, FIG. 12A), where theinterior side is opposite an exterior side (e.g., analogous to theexterior side 1203, FIG. 12A).

The sidewall 1221 may define an exterior surface of the device of whichthe housing member 1220 is a part. The first interlock feature 1222 maydefine a first hole 1224 and one or more second holes 1226. When ajoining element is formed by injecting or otherwise molding a moldablematerial against the housing member 1220, the moldable material may atleast partially surround and/or encapsulate the first interlock feature1222, and may flow into and optionally through the first and secondholes 1224, 1226. By at least partially encapsulating the interlockfeature 1222 and flowing into and/or through the first and second holes1224, 1226, the joining elements may be structurally interlocked withthe housing member 1220, thereby securely retaining the joining elementto the housing member 1220.

The housing member 1220 may also define a protruding feature 1230, whichmay be a post, pin, or have any other suitable shape or configurationthat protrudes or extends from an end surface 1228 of the housing member1220. The end surface 1228 of the housing member 1220 may be the portionof the housing member 1220 that, with the exception of the protrudingfeature 1230, extends closest to another housing member to which thehousing member 1220 is coupled via a joining element.

The protruding feature 1230 may operate in a similar manner as therecess 1210 in FIGS. 12A-12B. For example, when a moldable material isflowed into place (e.g., between the housing member 1220 and anotherhousing member) to form a joining element, the moldable material mayflow around the protruding feature 1230 to at least partiallyencapsulate the protruding feature 1230. When the moldable material isthen cured or otherwise hardened, the protruding feature 1230 and therecess in the moldable material that is formed around the protrudingfeature 1230 interlock with one another. The interlock between theprotruding feature 1230 and the moldable material may help preventseparation of the joining element and the housing member 1220. Further,the position of the protruding feature 1230 relative to the exteriorsurface defined by the sidewall 1221 may help improve the structuralrigidity of the joint and help maintain the alignment (and mechanicalcoupling) between the housing member 1220, the joining element, and theadjoining housing member in the event of a drop or other impact event.For example, while the first interlock feature 1222 may providesubstantial structural strength to the interface between the joiningelement and the housing member 1220, its position is further inboard(e.g., relatively nearer the internal volume of a housing) than theprotruding feature 1230. By contrast, the further outboard position ofthe protruding feature 1230 (e.g., relatively nearer the externalsurface of the housing member 1220) may improve the strength andstability of the alignment between the exterior surfaces of the housingmembers and the joining element.

In some cases, the housing member 1220 may also define pores along theend surface 1228 and/or the end surface 1229. The pores may be formed onthe end surfaces 1228 and/or 1229, and may also be formed on the surfaceof the protruding feature 1230. The pores may be a distinct structurethan the protruding feature 1230. For example, the protruding feature1230 protrudes by a distance greater than about 100 microns, and mayhave a length and width dimension greater than about 100 microns, whilethe pores may have depth, length and/or width dimensions less than about10 microns. In some cases, the pores are formed by chemical etching,abrasive blasting, laser or plasma etching, or the like. The material ofthe joining element may extend or flow into the pores during formationof the joining element and engage and/or interlock with the pores tosecure the joining element to the housing member 1220. In some cases,the pores are formed after the protruding feature 1230 is formed, suchthat the pores are present on the surfaces of the protruding feature1230. In other cases, the surfaces of the protruding feature 1230 lackthe pores, or have a different surface morphology and/or topography thanthe end surface on which the pores are formed. In some cases, thelargest dimension (e.g., length, width, depth) of the pores is at leastan order of magnitude smaller than the largest dimension (e.g., length,width, depth) of the protruding feature 1230.

FIG. 12D is a partial cross-sectional view of the housing member 1220(joined to another housing member 1225 via a joining element 1232),viewed along line 12D-12D in FIG. 12C. The joining element 1232 may bepositioned between and in contact with the housing members 1220, 1225.The joining element 1232 may also at least partially (and optionallyfully) encapsulate the protruding feature 1230. As can be seen in FIG.12D, the protruding feature 1230 may extend and/or be adjacent to twooffset surfaces. For example, with respect to the housing member 1220,the two offset surfaces include the end surface 1228 and an additionalend surface 1229. The protruding feature 1230 may extend a firstdistance from the end surface 1228, and a second (greater) distance fromthe additional end surface 1229. A similar structure may be used on thehousing member 1225 (e.g., a protruding feature 1236 extending a firstdistance from an end surface 1238 and a second (greater) distance froman additional surface 1234). Thus, as shown in FIG. 12D, the endsurfaces 1228, 1238 may be closer together than the additional endsurfaces 1229, 1234 (and the ends of the protruding features 1230, 1236may be the portions of the housing members 1220, 1225 that are closesttogether). In addition to the mechanical interlocking between thejoining element 1232 and the protruding features 1230, 1236 (and anyother retention structures and/or interlock features), the moldablematerial of the joining element 1232 may form a chemical or otheradhesive bond with the material of the housing members 1220, 1225.

The exterior surfaces of the joining element 1232 and the housingmembers 1220, 1225 may define a smooth continuous exterior surface 1223of the housing. For example, any gaps, seams, or other discontinuitiesbetween the joining element 1232 and the housing members 1220, 1225along the exterior surface 1223 of the housing may be undetectable tothe touch and/or to the unaided eye. For example, a fingernail slidingalong the exterior surface 1223 may not catch on the seam between thejoining element 1232 and the housing members 1220, 1225. In some cases,any gap, seam, or other discontinuity between the joining element 1232and the housing members 1220, 1225 may be less than about 200 microns,less than about 100 microns, less than about 50 microns, less than about20 microns, or less than about 10 microns (in depth, length, offset,and/or other dimension). The interlock between the joining element 1232and the housing members 1220, 1225 may help prevent or inhibit relativemotion between the housing members 1220, 1225 and the joining element1232, such as relative motion of these components along a verticaldirection (as oriented in FIG. 12D). Accordingly, the protrudingfeatures 1230, 1236 may help maintain the substantially seamless textureand appearance between the joining element 1232 and the housing members1220, 1225.

In some cases, different types of structures may be used to reinforce orotherwise increase the strength and/or structural integrity of thecoupling between housing members and joining elements. FIG. 12E, forexample, illustrates an example cross-sectional view of a housing thatincludes a joining element 1243 and a first housing member 1240 thatdefines a protruding feature 1244 (as shown in FIGS. 12C-12D) and asecond housing member 1241 that defines a recess 1249 (as shown in FIGS.12A-12B). Using a protruding feature 1244 and a recess 1249 may helpincrease the average or overall distance between the nearest portions ofthe first and second housing members 1240, 1241. In particular, becauseone or both of the housing members 1240, 1241 may be used as a radiatingcomponent of an antenna system, it may be desirable to increase thedistance between them to reduce capacitive coupling or otherelectromagnetic effects due to proximity of the two conductivecomponents. By positioning a recess opposite a protrusion, thestructural benefits of the protrusion (and the recess) may be achievedwhile also providing a greater distance between the closest surfaces ofthe housing members 1240, 1241 (as compared to a configuration with twoprotruding features, for example).

FIG. 12F depicts a portion of an example device 1251, showing anotherexample configuration of housing components and a joining element thatmay be used to structurally couple the housing components. For example,a first housing member 1250 may be coupled to a second housing member1252 via a joining element 1254. Like other joining elements describedherein, the joining element 1254 may be formed by injecting or otherwiseintroducing a moldable material (e.g., a polymer material) into a gapbetween the first and second housing members 1250, 1252. The firsthousing member 1250 may define a first interlock feature 1253 thatextends inwardly (e.g., towards an interior of the device) from asidewall 1259 of the first housing member 1250, and the second housingmember 1252 may define a second interlock feature 1256 that extendsinwardly (e.g., towards an interior of the device) from a sidewall 1257of the second housing member 1252. The first and second interlockfeatures 1253, 1256 may be at least partially encapsulated by thejoining element 1254. For example, when a moldable material is injectedor otherwise introduced into a gap between the first and second housingmembers 1250, 1252, the moldable material may at least partiallyencapsulate the first and second interlock features 1253, 1256(including flowing into any recesses or holes, and flowing around anyprotrusions defined by or on the first and second interlock features1253, 1256). In some cases, the moldable material (e.g., which forms thejoining element 1254) may cover the top surfaces of the first and secondinterlock features 1253, 1256, such that the moldable material extendsup to the interior surface of the sidewalls 1257, 1259.

After the moldable material is cured or otherwise hardened to form thejoining element, the joining element is physically interlocked to thefirst and second interlock features 1253, 1256, thereby securing thefirst and second housing members 1250, 1252 together.

As shown in FIG. 12F, the first housing member 1250 defines a first endsurface 1266 and the second housing member 1252 defines a second endsurface 1264. The first and second end surfaces 1266, 1264 may besubstantially parallel to one another, and may be substantiallyperpendicular to the exterior surfaces of the sidewalls 1257, 1259. Thefirst interlock feature 1253, which extends inwardly from the sidewall1259 (e.g., generally towards an interior of the device), may define afirst angled surface 1260. The angled surface 1260 may be angledgenerally away from the gap between the first and second housing members1250, 1252. The second interlock feature 1256 may define a second angledsurface 1262, which may extend generally towards the gap between thefirst and second housing members 1250, 1252. Thus, the first and secondangled surfaces 1260, 1262 may be nonparallel to the first and secondend surfaces 1266, 1264. Further, the first and second angled surfaces1260, 1262 may be contiguous with the first and second end surfaces1266, 1264. The first and second end surfaces 1266, 1264 and the angledsurfaces 1260, 1262 may define a channel between the first and secondhousing members 1250, 1252, and the joining element 1254 may at leastpartially (and optionally completely) fill the channel defined by thefirst and second end surfaces 1266, 1264 and the angled surfaces 1260,1262.

The angled configurations of the first and second interlock features1253, 1256 reposition structural components within the device to makeroom for other components. For example, by having the second interlockfeature 1256 angle to the right (as shown in FIG. 12F), additional spacemay be provided on the left side of the second interlock feature 1256for another component 1299 (e.g., a logic board, a processor, or thelike). The other component 1299 may therefore be positioned closer tothe sidewall 1257 (and further to the right) than would be possible ifthe second interlock feature 1256 extended perpendicularly from thehousing member 1252.

The first and second angled surfaces 1260, 1262 may also improve thestrength, stiffness, or other structural property of the interlockbetween the first and second housing members 1250, 1252 by providing amore complex geometry with which the joining element ultimately engagesand interlocks. Further, because the first and second angled surfaces1260, 1262 extend at a similar (or identical) angle (relative to the endsurfaces 1266, 1264, for example), a greater distance may be maintainedbetween the first and second housing members 1250, 1252 (as compared toangled surfaces that angled towards one another, or that had a greaterdifference in angle relative to the end surfaces). Stated another way,the substantially parallel angled surfaces 1260, 1262 may improve thestrength and/or stability of the housing structure without reducing theminimum distance between the housing members. Because having the housingelements closer together may increase capacitive coupling between thehousing members, and thus could negatively impact antenna performance,larger distances between the housing components may be advantageous. Theangled surfaces of the interlock features therefore may achieve improvedstrength while maintaining adequate antenna performance.

FIG. 12G depicts another portion of the example device 1251, showinganother example configuration of housing components and a joiningelement that may be used to structurally couple the housing components.For example, the first housing member 1250 may be coupled to a thirdhousing member 1280 via a joining element 1270. Like other joiningelements described herein, the joining element 1270 may be formed byinjecting or otherwise introducing a moldable material (e.g., a polymermaterial) into a gap between the first and third housing members 1250,1280. The first housing member 1250 may define a first interlock feature1271 that extends inwardly (e.g., towards an interior of the device)from a sidewall 1259 of the first housing member 1250, and the thirdhousing member 1280 may define a second interlock feature 1272 thatextends inwardly (e.g., towards an interior of the device) from asidewall 1281 of the third housing member 1280. The first and secondinterlock features 1271, 1272 may be at least partially encapsulated bythe joining element 1270. For example, when a moldable material isinjected or otherwise introduced into a gap between the first and thirdhousing members 1250, 1280, the moldable material may at least partiallyencapsulate the first and second interlock features 1271, 1272(including flowing into any recesses or holes, and flowing around anyprotrusions defined by or on the first and second interlock features1271, 1272). In some cases, the moldable material (e.g., which forms thejoining element 1270) may cover the top surfaces of the first and secondinterlock features 1271, 1272, such that the moldable material extendsup to the interior surface of the sidewalls 1259, 1281.

Similar to the configuration shown in FIG. 12F, the first housing member1250 may define a first end surface 1278 and the third housing member1280 may define a second end surface 1279, with the end surfacesdefining a gap between the first and third housing members. The firstand second end surfaces 1278, 1279 may be substantially parallel to oneanother, and may be substantially perpendicular to the exterior surfacesof the sidewalls 1259, 1281. The first interlock feature 1271, whichextends inwardly from the sidewall 1259 (e.g., generally towards aninterior of the device), may define a first angled surface 1276. Theangled surface 1276 may be angled generally away from the gap betweenthe first and third housing members 1250, 1280. The second interlockfeature 1272 may define a second angled surface 1277, which may extendgenerally towards the gap between the first and third housing members1250, 1280. Thus, the first and second angled surfaces 1276, 1277 may benonparallel to the first and second end surfaces 1278, 1279. Further,the first and second angled surfaces 1276, 1277 may be contiguous withthe first and second end surfaces 1278, 1279. The first and second endsurfaces 1278, 1279 and the angled surfaces 1276, 1277 may define achannel between the first and third housing members 1250, 1280, and thejoining element 1270 may at least partially (and optionally completely)fill the channel defined by the first and second end surfaces 1278, 1279and the angled surfaces 1276, 1277.

The first and second interlock features 1271, 1272 may also include lugs1273, 1274, which may remain exposed or otherwise accessible through thejoining element 1270 even after the interlock features are at leastpartially encapsulated by the joining element 1270. Electricalcomponents, such as an antenna circuitry, may be conductively coupled tothe housing members 1250, 1280 (which may be conductive), such that thehousing members 1250, 1280 can operate as radiating members of anantenna system.

The angled configurations of the first and second interlock features1271, 1272 reposition structural components within the device to makeroom for other components. For example, by having the second interlockfeature 1272 angle upwards (as shown in FIG. 12G), additional space maybe provided below the second interlock feature 1272 for anothercomponent (e.g., a camera module). For example, FIG. 12G shows anexample frame member 1283, to which camera modules may be attached. Theupward angle of the second interlock feature 1272 provides space where ashoulder region of the frame member 1283 may be positioned. If thesecond interlock feature 1272 were to extend horizontally into theinterior of the device (relative to the orientation shown in FIG. 12G),the frame member 1283 would have to be positioned lower in the device,which may lead to wasted space. Thus, by configuring the first andsecond interlock features 1271, 1272 with angled surfaces (and, moregenerally, protruding at a non-perpendicular angle from the sidewalls),other components may be able to be positioned in desired locations, andthere may be more flexibility in where other components can be locatedwithin the housing.

As noted above, interlock features, such as the first and secondinterlock features 1271, 1272, may be used to facilitate a conductivecoupling between conductive housing members and antenna circuitry. Forexample, as described with respect to FIG. 12G, antenna circuitry may beconductively coupled to the housing members 1250, 1280 via lugs 1273,1274 (which may be or may include threaded holes). FIG. 12H illustratesa portion of the device 1251, illustrating how antenna circuitry may beconductively coupled to the lugs 1273, 1274, and in particular, how aflexible circuit element may be conductively coupled to the lugs 1273,1274 despite the complex geometries and small available space in thecorner of the device. FIG. 12H illustrates the housing of the device1251 without the joining element in place.

As shown in FIG. 12H, an antenna connection assembly 1290 may be used toconductively couple the housing members 1250, 1280 to antenna circuitry.The antenna connection assembly 1290 may include a flexible circuitelement 1284, and a connector assembly 1289. The connector assembly 1289may include conductors 1286, 1285 which are at least partiallyencapsulated in a polymer frame. For example, the conductors 1286, 1285may be insert molded with the polymer material of the frame to form theconnector assembly 1289. The connector assembly 1289 may be structurallyand conductively coupled to the first and second interlock features1271, 1272 via conductive fasteners 1287, 1288 (e.g., screws, bolts,threaded fasteners, posts, rivets, welds, solders, etc.). The conductivefasteners 1287, 1288 may be conductively coupled to the conductors 1286,1285, which in turn are conductively coupled (e.g., soldered) toconductive traces of the flexible circuit element 1284. The conductivetraces of the flexible circuit element 1284 may also be conductivelycoupled to antenna circuitry of the device. Accordingly, a conductivepath may be defined from the interlock features 1271, 1272, through theconductors 1286, 1285 in the connector assembly 1289, and through theflexible circuit element 1284, to the antenna circuitry elsewhere in thedevice. The connector assembly 1289 may be configured so that aconductive coupling to the lugs 1273, 1274, which are on top of theinterlock features and are in a plane that is generally perpendicular tothe sidewall of the device, can be made to the flexible circuit, whichis generally flat and in a plane that is parallel to the sidewall of thedevice (and slotted into a narrow gap between the frame member 1283 andthe housing member 1280). Without the connector assembly,interconnecting the flexible circuit element to the lugs may requirebending the flexible circuit into a different plane, which may stressthe flexible circuit and potentially damage it. Further, there may notbe room in the device for the bend radiuses necessary to facilitate abent or curved flexible circuit element. Accordingly, the connectorassembly 1289 may facilitate the connection between components that liein or along perpendicular planes (or otherwise face differentdirections).

The devices described herein include touch-sensitive displays, alsoreferred to as touchscreen displays. In such cases, display componentsand touch sensor components may be layered or otherwise integrated toform an assembly that may be positioned below a transparent cover. Inorder to facilitate the display and touch-sensing functionality,electrical signals must be passed to and from the display andtouch-sensing layers to other components such as processors and othercircuitry (which may not be suitably sized and/or shaped to fit into thelayered structure of the display stack). Accordingly, flexible circuitelements with flexible conductive traces or other conductors may be usedto interconnect the layers of the display stack with processors andother circuitry. FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate example configurations offlexible circuit elements for interconnecting to layers in the displaystack. FIG. 13C illustrates an example integration of a display stack(which may include touch-sensor components) in a device.

FIG. 13A, for example, illustrates a cover 1300 (which may be anembodiment of the cover 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, or any other coverdescribed herein) and a display stack 1302. The display stack 1302 mayinclude display layers (e.g., LED layers, OLED layers, electrode layers,polarizers, etc.) and touch sensor layers (e.g., capacitive electrodelayers, spacer layers, etc.). The display stack 1302 may define arecessed region 1304, which may define an area where input/outputdevices are positioned so that they are not covered or otherwiseinterfered with by the display stack 1302.

Because the display stack 1302 includes display layers and touch sensorlayers that need to be interconnected with other circuitry, each set oflayers includes a flexible circuit element that extends from a side ofthe display stack 1302. In particular, the display layers may include orbe coupled to a flexible circuit element 1306 that extends from a firstside of the display stack 1302 (e.g., a short side), and the touchsensor layers may include a flexible circuit element 1308 that extendsfrom a second side of the display stack 1302 (e.g., a long side). Byhaving the two flexible circuit elements 1306, 1308 extend fromdifferent sides of the display stack 1302, the overall size of thedisplay stack 1302 may be reduced relative to having them extend fromthe same side. For example, if both flexible circuit elements extendedfrom the same side (e.g., the short side), one may have to loop over theother, thus extending the size of the display stack 1302 along thatside. Further, the flexible circuit elements may require physicaldistance from each other, requiring the outer loop to be set apart fromthe inner loop by an air gap or other space, which may further increasethe size of the display stack 1302 along that side.

Whereas the display stack 1302 included touch sensor layers on adifferent substrate than the display layers (e.g., thereby requiringdifferent flexible circuit elements in order to conductively couple tothe different layers), the display stack 1312 of FIG. 13B may have anintegrated (on-cell) touch-sensing system. For example, an array ofelectrodes that are integrated into an OLED display may be time and/orfrequency multiplexed in order to provide both display and touch-sensingfunctionality. The electrodes may be configured to detect a location ofa touch, a gesture input, multi-touch input, or other types of touchinput along the external surface of the cover 1310. Accordingly, insteadof providing separate flexible circuit elements extending from differentsides of the display stack, the display stack 1312 may include a sharedflexible circuit element 1316, which includes conductive traces for bothdisplay and touch-sensing functions (in some cases, some or all of theconductive traces may be used for both display and touch-sensingfunctions).

FIG. 13C illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of a device 1320.The device 1320 may include a housing member 1324, a rear cover 1326,and a cover 1322 coupled to a frame member 1328. The device 1320,housing member 1324, cover 1322, rear cover 1326, and frame member 1328may be embodiments of or otherwise correspond to other instances ofthose devices and components described herein. Details of those devicesand/or components may be equally applicable to those shown in FIG. 13C,and will not be repeated here for brevity.

The device 1320 includes a display stack 1330 coupled to the cover 1322via an adhesive stack 1334. The display stack 1330 may be attached tothe cover 1322 prior to the cover 1322 being attached to the framemember 1328. In some cases, the frame member 1328 may be bent orotherwise deflected during the assembly process so that a loop area 1352of the display stack 1330 can pass the frame member 1328 (e.g., a flangeportion such as the flange portion 629, FIG. 6A) without contacting theframe member 1328. The frame member 1328 may be manually deflected by atool, and allowed to return to an undeflected state after the cover 1322is secured to the frame member 1328 via an adhesive, as describedherein. The frame member 1328 may be configured so that the deflectionof the frame member 1328 during assembly is less than the elastic limitof the frame member 1328. The frame member 1328 may be metal (e.g.,stainless steel, aluminum, or another suitable metal). The frame member1328 may be a continuous, generally rectangular loop of metal thatextends around the periphery of the display stack 1330. In some cases,the continuous loop includes polymer members or sections thatstructurally couple to one or more metal members. For example, a framemember 1328 may include a metal member that defines a first portion ofthe substantially rectangular loop (e.g., at least a portion of each ofthree sides of the rectangle), and a polymer member that is structurallycoupled to the ends of the metal member and defines the remainingportion of the substantially rectangular loop.

The display stack 1330 may include a display element 1333 for producinggraphical outputs. In some cases, the display element 1333 may includecomponents of an OLED display. For example, the display element 1333 mayinclude a cathode layer, an electron transport layer, a blocking layer,an emissive layer, a hole transport layer, a hole injection layer, ananode, and a substrate. The display element 1333 may also includefilters, polarizers, thin film transistors, or the like. The displayelement 1333 may be coupled to a flexible circuit element 1332 or othersuitable substrate. While an OLED display is described, the displayelement may be any suitable type of display, such as an LCD display, anactive layer organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display, an organicelectroluminescent (EL) display, an electrophoretic ink display, or thelike.

The adhesive stack 1334 may be or may include an optically clearadhesive that adheres the display stack 1330 (or a component thereof) tothe cover 1322. The adhesive stack 1334 may be a single, substantiallyhomogenous layer of adhesive, or it may include multiple layers and/ormaterials. For example, the adhesive stack 1334 may include alight-transmissive polymer layer positioned between two adhesive layers(e.g., a top adhesive layer adhering to the cover 1322 and a bottomadhesive layer adhering to the display stack 1330). In some cases, amulti-layer adhesive stack 1334 (e.g., with two adhesive layers onopposite sides of a polymer layer) may have an increased stiffness ascompared to a single-layer adhesive stack of the same size. As such, amulti-layer adhesive stack 1334 may be made thinner than a single-layeradhesive stack while maintaining the same or similar stiffness as thesingle-layer adhesive stack.

The image quality of a display may be affected by the flatness of thedisplay stack and/or the layers of a display element. For example,warped display layers may produce wavy patterns or other visibleeffects, which may reduce the functionality of the display (e.g., makingit unable to effectively produce images or other graphical outputs). Inorder to provide a dimensionally stable structure and to help maintainflatness of display components, the display stack 1330 may includestiffening structures in the display stack. For example, the displaystack 1330 may include a first stiffening structure 1336 which mayinclude a metal layer (also referred to as a metal plate). The metallayer may support the display element 1333 and/or the flexible circuitelement 1332 and impart structural support, rigidity, and flatness tothe display element 1333 and/or the flexible circuit element 1332. Thefirst stiffening structure 1336 may have the same or substantially thesame front-facing area as the display element 1333 (e.g., the firststiffening structure 1336 may have a front-facing area that is greaterthan 90% of the front-facing area of the display element 1333). Thefirst stiffening structure 1336 may also include one or more additionallayers, such as one or more foam layers, one or more adhesive layers,and/or one or more polymer layers.

The display stack 1330 may also include a second stiffening structure1340, which may include a metal layer (also referred to as a metalplate). The metal layer of the second stiffening structure 1340 maysupport the display element 1333 and/or the flexible circuit element1332 and impart structural support, rigidity, and flatness to thedisplay element 1333 and/or the flexible circuit element 1332. Thesecond stiffening structure 1340 may have a smaller frontal area thanthe first stiffening structure 1336. For example, the second stiffeningstructure 1340 may be positioned only (or substantially only) in thearea where the flexible circuit element 1332 is doubled over (e.g.,overlapping area 1335). Both the overlapping area 1335 and the secondstiffening structure 1340 may have a front-facing area that is less than50% of the front-facing area of the display element 1333, and optionallyless than 30% of the front-facing area of the display element 1333.

The display stack 1330 may include a compliant structure 1338 betweenthe first and second stiffening structures 1336, 1340. The compliantstructure 1338 may be or may include a layer of foam, one or moreadhesives, or the like. The compliant structure 1338 may be configuredto absorb energy due to impacts, drop events, or the like, therebyreducing the likelihood of damage to components of the display stack1330.

The display stack 1330 may also include a third stiffening structure1360. The third stiffening structure may be positioned on the same sideof the flexible circuit element 1332 as a processor 1350, which may be adisplay integrated circuit that interfaces with another processor of thedevice 1320 and controls the display stack 1330 so as to producegraphical outputs via the display stack 1330. The processor 1350 mayalso receive and/or process signals from touch-sensing componentsintegrated with the display stack 1330 (such as electrodes thatfacilitate capacitive-based touch-sensing functions). In some cases, theprocessor 1350 may be a different type of circuit element, such as amemory module. The third stiffening structure 1360 may be or may includea metal layer (also referred to as a metal plate). The third stiffeningstructure 1360 may reinforce the area of the flexible circuit element1332 around the processor 1350, where small and potentially fragileelectrical interconnects may be positioned. The third stiffeningstructure 1360 may help inhibit bending or other deformations in thearea near the electrical interconnects and may therefore help preventdamage and improve reliability of the device.

The first, second, and third stiffening structures 1336, 1340, and 1360are described as including metal layers. The metal layers may be formedfrom stainless steel, aluminum, or the like. The metal layers may have athickness of about 120 microns, about 100 microns, about 70 microns, orany other suitable dimension. In some cases the metal layers may have athickness of between about 120 microns and about 60 microns, or betweenabout 65 microns and about 95 microns. In some cases, the stiffeningmembers may be formed from or include polymers, composites (e.g., carbonfiber), or other suitable materials.

The display stack 1330 may also include a shroud 1346 that covers theprocessor 1350. The shroud 1346 may be or may be formed from or includemetal or another suitable material (e.g., a polymer material, acomposite material, etc.). The shroud 1346 may protect (and optionallyshield) the processor 1350 from contacting other components inside thedevice 1320 in the event of a drop, impact, or other type of event thatmay cause the components of the device 1320 to shift, deflect, bend, orotherwise move relative to one another. Compliant members 1342 may bepositioned between the shroud 1346 and the flexible circuit element 1332and the processor 1350 and may be configured to absorb energy resultingfrom the device 1320 being dropped or otherwise subjected to an impactor other high-energy event. The compliant members 1342 may be attachedto the shroud 1346 and the flexible circuit element 1332 and theprocessor 1350 via adhesives.

A potting material 1348 may be applied to the flexible circuit element1332 and the processor 1350 along the periphery of the processor 1350.The potting material 1348 may be an epoxy, adhesive, or another suitablematerial that may be applied to the flexible circuit element 1332 andthe processor 1350 in a flowable state and then allowed to at leastpartially cure or harden. When cured, the potting material 1348 maycontact and be bonded to both the flexible circuit element 1332 and atleast a portion of a side (and optionally at least a portion of each ofthe peripheral sides) of the processor 1350. In some cases, the pottingmaterial 1348 surrounds the outer periphery of the processor 1350

The potting material 1348 may help prevent the electricalinterconnections (e.g., solder joints, wires, traces, or the like)between the flexible circuit element 1332 and the processor 1350 frombreaking or becoming damaged during drops, impacts, or other potentiallydamaging events. The potting material 1348 may also locally increase thestiffness of the flexible circuit element 1332, further helping toinhibit damage to the processor 1350 and/or the electricalinterconnects. A cover 1344 (e.g., a metal foil, a polymer sheet, etc.)may at least partially cover the processor 1350 and the potting material1348 and may provide an additional layer of protection to the processor1350.

As described above, a display element may include various electricallyactive layers and components that need to be electrically interconnectedto other electrical components, processors, circuit elements, and thelike. Because such layers (e.g., anode and cathode layers of an OLEDdisplay) may be sandwiched between other layers, the flexible circuitelement 1332 (e.g., a flexible circuit board) may wrap around a side ofthe display stack 1330 at bend or loop area 1352 to electrically coupleelectrically active layers of the display element (e.g., TFT layers,electrode layers, etc.) and/or touch-sensing layers (such as one or moreelectrode layers that facilitate capacitive touch sensing, and which maybe integrated with the display element 1333) to a processor 1350 of thedisplay stack 1330. More particularly, the flexible circuit element 1332may include conductive traces that interconnect electrical components ofthe display layers (e.g., cathode and anode layers, electrode layers oftouch and/or force sensors, on-cell touch-sensing layers, etc.) to otherelectrical traces, connectors, processors, or other electricalcomponents that are mounted on the flexible circuit element 1332.

In some cases, a potting material 1356 (e.g., an epoxy, foam, or othermaterial or component) may be provided in the inside of the loop area1352 to help provide structure to the flexible circuit element 1332 atthe loop area 1352 and to help prevent deformation of the flexiblecircuit element 1332 due to drops, impacts, or the like. For example, ifthe device 1320 is dropped on the housing member 1324, the housingmember 1324 could force the frame member 1328 against the loop area 1352of the flexible circuit element 1332. The potting material 1356 may helpprevent such impacts from breaking, pinching, bending, deforming, orotherwise damaging the flexible circuit element 1332 at the loop area1352.

The display stack 1330 may also include a strain reduction layer 1354,which may be applied to the flexible circuit element 1332 along theoutside of the loop area 1352. The strain reduction layer 1354 may be anepoxy, adhesive, polymer, or other suitable material. The strainreduction layer 1354 may increase the stiffness of the flexible circuitelement 1332 along the loop area 1352 and may maintain or form theflexible circuit element 1332 into a desired bend radius (e.g., amaximum possible bend radius given the length of the loop area 1352 andthe geometry of the display stack 1330). The strain reduction layer 1354may also help provide structure to the flexible circuit element 1332 atthe loop area 1352 and help prevent deformation of the flexible circuitelement 1332 due to drops, impacts, or the like.

The potting material 1356 may be applied to the display stack 1330 afterthe flexible circuit element 1332 is folded over to form the loop area1352. For example, a flowable material, such as a curable epoxy, may beinjected into the loop area 1352 after the circuit element 1332 isfolded over and the second stiffening structure 1340 is attached to thefirst stiffening structure 1336 (e.g., via a compliant structure and oneor more adhesive layers). The flowable material may at least partiallyharden to provide the structural reinforcement described above.

In some cases, the potting material 1356 may be applied to the displaystack 1330 prior to folding the flexible circuit element 1332. FIG. 13Dillustrates a portion of the device 1320 with the flexible circuitelement 1332 in an unfolded configuration and with the potting material1356 positioned on the flexible circuit element 1332 in a location thatwill define the loop area 1352 once the flexible circuit element 1332 isfolded over into the configuration shown in FIG. 13C. The pottingmaterial 1356 may be applied in a flowable state and the flexiblecircuit element 1332 may be folded over (e.g., along an axis) to definethe loop area 1352 (e.g., as illustrated by arrow 1361) while thepotting material 1356 is still in an at least partially flowable state.The potting material 1356 may then at least partially harden after theloop area 1352 is formed. As shown in FIG. 13D, the strain reductionlayer 1354 may be positioned on the flexible circuit element 1332 priorto the flexible circuit element 1332 being folded to form the loop area1352.

FIG. 14A illustrates an example arrangement of cameras in a device 1400.FIG. 14A may correspond to a corner of a device (e.g., the device 300),viewed with the cover and display (and optionally other components)removed to show the arrangement of the cameras. The device 1400 mayinclude a first camera module 1402 (which may be an embodiment of orotherwise correspond to the first camera 361, FIG. 3 ), a second cameramodule 1404 (which may be an embodiment of or otherwise correspond tothe second camera 362, FIG. 3 ), and a third camera module 1406 (whichmay be an embodiment of or otherwise correspond to the third camera 363,FIG. 3 ). Any of the cameras shown in FIG. 14A (or elsewhere herein) mayinclude an image stabilization system that helps maintain a sharp image(e.g., reducing the effects of camera shake on the image) by sensingmovement of the device and moving one or more components of the camerain a manner that at least partially compensates for (and/or counteracts)the movement of the device.

FIG. 14A also illustrates a depth sensor 1414 (which may be anembodiment of or otherwise correspond to the depth sensor 365, FIG. 3 ,or the depth sensor 565, FIG. 5 ), and a microphone module 1412. Themicrophone module 1412 may be positioned over or otherwise acousticallycoupled to an opening in the housing of the device 1400 to allow soundto be captured by the microphone module 1412.

The device 1400 may also include a bracket member 1410 (also referred toherein as a camera bracket) to which the first, second, and third cameramodules 1402, 1404, 1406 may be coupled. The bracket member (or camerabracket) 1410 may define respective receptacles for each respectivecamera module. Each receptacle may define openings for the opticalcomponents of the camera modules. The receptacles may be defined byflanges or side walls that at least partially surround the cameramodules. The bracket member 1410 may be configured to fix the relativepositions of the camera modules.

The device 1400 may also include a frame member 1408 to which thebracket member 1410 and the depth sensor 1414 may be attached. The framemember 1408 may define a wall structure 1407, which in turn defines afirst container region 1411 and a second container region 1413. Asdescribed herein, one or more cameras (which may be mounted to thebracket member 1410) may be positioned in the first container region,and the depth sensor module 1414 may be positioned in the secondcontainer region 1413. The wall structure 1407 may define the secondcontainer region 1413 by extending completely around the secondcontainer region 1413, or partially around the second container region1413 (as shown). For example, the wall structure 1407 may define a wallsegment 1439 that defines a free end. The free end may be set apart fromother portions of the wall structure 1407 to define a gap or opening inthe wall structure 1407.

The frame member 1408 may be configured to fix the relative positions ofthe camera modules (which are in turn coupled to and held in alignmentby the bracket member 1410) and the depth sensor module 1414. The framemember 1408 may be configured to fix the relative positions of thecamera modules and the depth sensor module 1414 in one or moredirections. For example, the relative positions and/or orientations ofthe camera modules 1402, 1404, 1406 and the depth sensor module 1414 maybe important to ensure proper operation of the features and/or functionsof the camera modules 1402, 1404, 1406 and the depth sensor module 1414.In some cases it is necessary or desirable for the optical axes of oneor more of the camera modules 1402, 1404, 1406 and the depth sensormodule 1414 to be parallel or to converge at a predetermined distanceaway from the device 1400. As another example, it may be necessary ordesirable for the offset between one or more of the camera modules 1402,1404, 1406 and the depth sensor module 1414 (e.g., the offset along theoptical axes) to be fixed at a predetermined distance. Such alignmentand positioning may be necessary or desirable to provide functions suchas camera focus assistance, depth mapping, image processing, or thelike, and employing a common structure (such as the frame member 1408)to which both the depth sensor module 1414 and the camera modules 1402,1404, 1406 (via the bracket member 1410) may be coupled may helpestablish and maintain the desired alignment and positioning. Notably,the frame member 1408 may establish and maintain any desired alignment,positioning, orientation, offset, or other spatial parameter, thatresults in the proper functioning of the optical systems. In some cases,the frame member 1408 is used to align the camera modules 1402, 1404,1406 and the depth sensor module 1414 in the plane parallel to theinterior surface 1436 of the rear cover 1432, while out-of-planealignment (e.g., in the up and down direction, as oriented in FIGS.14C-14D) is provided by the interior surface 1436 of the rear cover1432. In some cases, the frame member 1408 is not used as an alignmentdatum or reference for the depth sensor module 1414, such as when thedepth sensor module 1414 is adhered or otherwise attached to theinterior surface 1436 of the rear cover 1432 and the sides of the depthsensor module 1414 are not in intimate contact with the wall structure1407 of the frame member 1408.

In some cases, the frame member 1408 is not used as a datum for aligningthe depth sensor module 1414. For example, in some cases the framemember 1408 does not define a mounting surface (e.g., a surface parallelto or in contact with an interior surface of the rear cover 1432) in thecontainer region where the depth sensor module 1414 is positioned. Insuch cases, the wall structure of the frame member 1408 may extendpartially or completely around an open-bottomed container region inwhich the depth sensor module 1414 is positioned. Accordingly, in thisconfiguration the depth sensor module 1414 is able to be coupled to theinterior surface of the rear cover 1432, such that the interior surfaceof the rear cover 1432 defines the datum surface for aligning andsecuring the depth sensor module 1414.

The frame member 1408 may be coupled to other housing components orstructures of the device 1400, such as a rear cover (e.g., the rearcover 372, FIG. 3 , the rear cover 572, FIG. 5 , or any other suitablerear cover described herein). The frame member 1408 may be used as adatum or reference surface for the bracket member 1410 and/or the depthsensor module 1414.

FIG. 14B is a partial exploded view of the device 1400, illustratingdetails of the frame member 1408, the depth sensor module 1414, themicrophone module 1412, and a housing 1422. The housing 1422 may includea rear cover 1432, which may be formed from glass, glass ceramic,ceramic, sapphire, or other suitable material. The rear cover 1432 maydefine a sensor array region 1433, which may correspond to the size,shape, and location of the protrusion along the rear surface of the rearcover (e.g., the protrusions 137, 151, FIGS. 1B, 1D).

The rear cover 1432 may define or include camera windows 1424, 1426,1428, 1430, and 1409 in the sensor array region 1433. The camera windows1424, 1426, 1428, 1430, and 1409 may be at least partially transparent(or may include or surround covers that are at least partiallytransparent) to allow the first, second, and third camera modules 1402,1404, 1406, the depth sensor module 1414, and a flash suitable opticalaccess through the rear cover 1432. The camera windows 1424, 1426, 1428,1430, and 1409 may be unitary with the rear cover 1432 (e.g.,transparent regions of the same piece of material as the rest of therear cover 1432), or they may include or be defined by transparentcovers, inserts, lenses, or other components or structures. In somecases, some of the windows are unitary with the rear cover 1432, whileothers include or are defined by separate components or structures.

The rear cover 1432 may also define a microphone hole 1435 in the sensorarray region 1433. The microphone hole 1435 may extend through the rearcover 1432 to provide acoustic access to the external environment forthe microphone module 1412. In some cases, waterproof membranes and/ormesh materials (e.g., a screen) may be positioned in or otherwise coverthe microphone hole 1435 to prevent ingress of liquids and/or othercontaminants.

The frame member 1408 may be coupled to the rear cover 1432 along aninternal surface of the rear cover and in the sensor array region 1433.For example, the frame member 1408 may be attached to the internalsurface of the rear cover 1432 via an adhesive 1420. In some cases, asdescribed herein, the frame member 1408 may be welded to camera trimstructures that are coupled to the rear cover 1432. The microphonemodule 1412 may also be attached to the rear cover 1432 via an adhesive1421. The depth sensor module 1414 may also be attached to the rearcover 1432 (e.g., the internal surface of the rear cover 1432) via anadhesive 1418. In some cases, as described with respect to FIGS.14C-14D, the position of the depth sensor module 1414 in the device 1400may be defined by the interface between the depth sensor module 1414 andthe rear cover 1432. The adhesives 1418, 1420, 1421 may be any suitableadhesive, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), heat sensitiveadhesive (HSA), adhesive film, epoxy, or the like.

FIG. 14C is a partial cross-sectional view of the device 1400, viewedalong line 14C-14C in FIG. 14A, illustrating an example attachment andalignment configuration of the depth sensor module 1414 in the device1400. As shown in FIG. 14C, the device 1400 includes a depth sensormodule bracket 1446. The depth sensor module 1414 may be attached to thedepth sensor module bracket 1446 via an adhesive 1434 (e.g., a PSA, HSA,adhesive film, epoxy, or the like), and the depth sensor module bracket1446 may be attached to an interior surface 1436 of the rear cover 1432via the adhesive 1418.

FIG. 14D is a partial cross-sectional view of the device 1400, viewedalong line 14C-14C in FIG. 14A, illustrating another example attachmentand alignment configuration of the depth sensor module 1414 in thedevice 1400. In this example, the depth sensor module bracket 1446 maybe omitted, and a surface of the housing of the depth sensor module 1414itself may be attached to the interior surface 1436 of the rear cover1432 via the adhesive 1418.

Notably, in the configurations shown in FIGS. 14C-14D, the position ofthe depth sensor module 1414 is fixed based on its attachment to theinterior surface 1436 of the rear cover 1432. Stated another way, theinterior surface 1436 may act as a datum surface for positioning thedepth sensor module 1414. The interior surface 1436 may also ultimatelyact as a datum surface for the camera modules 1402, 1404, 1406. Using acommon datum surface for such optical components may help ensureaccurate alignment and/or positioning of the optical components, whichmay improve or facilitate the operation of optical techniques such asdepth-mapping or sensing, autofocus, or the like. In some cases, thedepth sensor module 1414 does not contact and/or is not affixed to theframe member 1408. In some cases, a foam or other compressible orcompliant material may be positioned and/or compressed between portionsof the depth sensor module 1414 and the frame member 1408.

As described above, the depth sensor module 1414 may include an opticalemitter 1448 and an optical sensor 1450. The optical emitter may beadapted to emit one or more beams of light, which may be coherent lightbeams having a substantially uniform wavelength and/or frequency. Insome cases, the light beam(s) may be laser beams. Using a coherent lightsource may facilitate depth measurements using a time of flight, phaseshift, or other optical effect(s). The optical sensor 1450 may detectportions of the coherent light beams that are reflected by objectsexternal to the device 1400. Thus, for example, the optical emitter 1448may project a pattern of dots onto the environment, and the opticalsensor 1450 may capture an image of the environment. Using thereflections in the image of the pattern of dots, the device 1400 maycalculate the distance between the device 1400 and objects in theenvironment. The device 1400 may then generate a depth map or renderingof the environment. The device 1400 may use the depth map or renderingfor various purposes, such as for image processing, autofocus or otherimage capture features, augmented reality applications, measurements, orthe like. The depth sensor module 1414 may be a lidar scanner.

Light may reach the optical emitter 1448 and the optical sensor 1450through holes 1444 and 1442, respectively, of the depth sensor module1414. In some cases, the device 1400 may include a mask 1440 positionedon the interior surface 1436 of the rear cover 1432. The mask 1440 maybe opaque and may define one or more openings. The openings in the mask1440 may coincide with the optical path to and from the optical emitterand sensor 1448, 1450. The mask 1440 may provide an optical shieldingfunction for the depth sensor module 1414 (and other components in thedevice 1400, such as the camera modules), and may occlude, cover, orotherwise limit visibility of other internal components of the device1400 from the outside. The mask 1440 may be formed from any suitablematerial, such as an ink, dye, foil, film, coating (e.g., formed byplasma vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or anyother suitable coating process), or the like.

FIG. 14E illustrates a top view of the bracket member 1410 with thecamera modules removed. The bracket member 1410 may include a wallstructure 1449 that defines three separate receptacles for threeseparate camera modules, and each receptacle may be defined by orinclude a bottom wall that defines a mounting surface to which a cameramodule may be attached, and a hole to allow the camera module to receivelight. For example, the bracket member 1410, and more particularly awall portion of the wall structure 1449, may extend around a least aportion of a periphery of a mounting surface 1425 with a first hole 1457and define a first receptacle 1456 configured to receive a first cameramodule. Another wall portion of the wall structure 1449 may extendaround at least a portion of a periphery of a mounting surface (e.g.,ledges 1462) with a second hole 1459 and define a second receptacle 1458configured to receive a second camera module. Another wall portion ofthe wall structure 1449 may extend around at least a portion of aperiphery of a mounting surface 1427 with a third hole 1461 and define athird receptacle 1460 configured to receive a third camera module. Thebottom wall of the second receptacle 1458 may define ledges 1462 onwhich the second camera module may be positioned and optionally adhered.The ledges 1462 may be positioned at the corners of the hole 1459, andmay also act as a datum surface to align and/or position the secondcamera module. The ledges may be used in place of a larger bottom wall(and correspondingly smaller hole) to help remove material from thebracket member 1410, which may make the device lighter and reduce theoverall thickness of the device. Camera modules may be positioned withinthe receptacles 1456, 1458, 1460 defined by the bracket member 1410, andmounted to the mounting surfaces defined by the bracket member 1410(e.g., the mounting surfaces 1425, 1427, and ledges 1462).

The walls of the bracket member 1410, including the bottom wall (e.g.,the mounting surfaces of the bracket member 1410) and the wall structurethat defines the side walls of the receptacles, may be used to align thecamera modules to one another. For example, one or more of the sidewalls or the bottom wall of the receptacles may be used as a datumsurface against which a camera module is positioned, adhered, fastened,secured, or otherwise interfaced. By interfacing all of the cameramodules to the bracket member 1410, which may be a structurally stablecomponent such as a single piece of metal or another suitable material,all of the cameras can be aligned to a single, common structure, therebyimproving the alignment and the overall durability and/or stability ofthe positioning.

FIG. 14F is a partial cross-sectional view of the device, viewed alongline 14F-14F in FIG. 14B, illustrating aspects of a camera trimstructure 1473 and its integration with a rear cover of the device 1400and a frame member (e.g., the frame member 1408). The camera trimstructure 1473 may be a circular or other shaped structure that ispositioned in an opening in a rear cover 1472 (and optionally secured tothe rear cover 1472) and may define a raised border structure on theexterior of the device. The camera trim structure 1473 may be configuredto receive and/or support a camera cover 1469, which may be a piece ofglass, sapphire, crystal, polymer, or any other suitable transparent orlight transmissive material for covering a lens of a camera. A portionof a camera module (e.g., a camera lens) may extend into the camera trimstructure 1473. The camera trim structure 1473 may include an inner ringstructure 1463 and an outer ring structure 1471, which may be secured toone another via adhesive, threads, fusion bonds (e.g., welding, brazing,soldering), or any other suitable technique. The inner and/or outer ringstructures 1463, 1471 may be formed of metal (e.g., steel, aluminum,stainless steel, or the like).

A frame member (in this case, the frame member 1408) may be positionedover at least a portion of the camera trim structure 1473. The framemember 1408 may help secure the camera trim structure 1473 to the rearcover 1472, and may define a mounting surface to which other componentsmay be attached. The frame member 1408 may be secured to the inner ringstructure 1463 via a weld plate 1465, which may resemble a flat washer.The weld plate 1465 may be welded (or otherwise fusion bonded) to theframe member 1408 and to the inner ring structure 1463. In some cases,the weld plate 1465 may be omitted (and the frame member 1408 may befusion bonded directly to the inner and/or outer ring structures), or itmay be welded to the outer ring structure 1471 instead of or in additionto the inner ring structure 1463.

During the process of fusion bonding (e.g., welding) the weld plate 1465to the frame member 1408 and the camera trim structure 1473, moltenmetal or other contaminants may be ejected downwards, towards the cameratrim structure 1473. Accordingly, a conical washer 1466 (which may be ormay be similar to a Belleville washer) may be positioned between and incontact with the frame member 1408 and the camera trim structure 1473.The conical washer 1466 may contact the frame member 1408 at interface1468 and contact the inner ring structure 1463 at interface 1468. Theconical washer 1466 may be subjected to sufficient force by the framemember 1408 and interface 1468 that a biasing force is present at theinterfaces 1467, 1468, thereby establishing a seal or at leastmaintaining positive contact at the interfaces. In this way, the conicalwasher 1466 may form a seal between the area that is being welded andthe rear cover 1472, thereby blocking molten metal or other contaminantsthat may be ejected during the fusion bonding process from contactingthe rear cover 1472 or other components of the device.

FIG. 14G illustrates a portion of the device 1400 with the bracketmember 1410 removed, showing the frame member 1408 attached to a housingor enclosure. The frame member 1408 may define holes that coincide withcamera windows 1424, 1426, 1428 (which may include or be defined bycamera covers, as described herein). The frame member 1408 may be fusionbonded to the trim structures around the camera covers. The fusion bondsmay be formed by a blue light laser (e.g., using light having awavelength of around 450 nm), or by other suitable laser welding orother fusion bonding processes. By using a blue light laser, spatter maybe reduced or eliminated as compared to other types of welding processes(e.g., arc welding, laser welding using lasers other than blue lightlasers, etc.). Reducing or eliminating spatter may help prevent orinhibit molten metal or other contaminants from contacting the rearcover 1472 or other components of the device 1400. Laser welding with ablue light laser may be used in addition to or instead of a conicalwasher as described with respect to FIG. 14F.

The frame member 1408 may be fusion bonded to the trim structures by oneor more beads (e.g., weld beads) around all or part of a perimeter ofthe camera windows. For example, as shown in FIG. 14G, two beads 1475may each extend around a portion (in this case, less than half) of theperimeter of the camera window 1428, and two beads 1476 each extendaround a portion (less than half) of the perimeter of the camera window1424. In some cases, more discrete beads may be used around a camerawindow, such as three, four, five, or more beads, each separated fromadjacent beads by a gap. FIG. 14G also shows a bead 1477 that extendsaround an entire perimeter of the camera window 1426. In some cases, asingle bead that extends around less than the full perimeter may also beused. In a given device, different types of weld beads may be usedaround different camera windows (e.g., a first camera window may have asingle full perimeter bead while another may have multiplepartial-perimeter beads), or the same type of bead may be used aroundall of the camera windows.

FIG. 14H is a partial cross-sectional view of a device that includes tworear-facing cameras, such as the device 200 in FIG. 2 , viewed alongline 14H-14H in FIG. 2 , for example. The cameras of mobile phones maybe relatively delicate components due to the precision optics andsensors that they use. Accordingly, protecting them from extreme forcesdue to drops or other types of potentially damaging events may helpprevent them from damage and generally improve the durability of thecameras.

FIG. 14H shows how multiple different compliant members, each withdifferent properties, may be positioned between camera modules and theirmounting structures to help insulate the camera modules from potentiallydamaging forces or motions. For example, camera modules 1489, 1490 maybe coupled to a bracket member 1481 (which may be similar to the bracketmember 1410, but configured for only two camera modules), and thebracket member 1481 may be coupled to a frame member 1491 (which may besimilar to the frame member 1408, but configured for two cameramodules). The frame member 1491 may be coupled to trim structures 1483and 1484 (e.g., via fusion bonds, as described above), and may beattached to a rear cover 1482 (e.g., a glass member) via an adhesive.Camera covers 1486, 1485 may be coupled to the trim structures orotherwise configured to cover the holes through which the camera modulesreceive light.

A multi-layer compliant structure may be positioned between (and incontact with) the bracket member 1481 and the frame member 1491 (orotherwise between the camera modules and a housing component orstructure). The multi-layer compliant structure may include a firstcompliant member 1487 having first physical properties, and a secondcompliant member 1488 having second physical properties. The differencein physical properties between the first and second compliant members1487, 1488 may help isolate the camera modules from different types offorces and/or motions. The first and second compliant members 1487, 1488may differ in stiffness, compliance, Young's modulus, density,thickness, cell type (e.g., open cell, closed cell), or the like. Forexample, the first compliant member 1487 may have a lower stiffness(e.g., a lower Young's modulus) than the second compliant member 1488.The first compliant member 1487 may be a polypropylene foam, and thesecond compliant member 1488 may be a polyurethane foam. The secondcompliant member 1488 may be adhered (or otherwise attached) to thebracket member 1481 and the first compliant member 1487 may be adhered(or otherwise attached) to the second compliant member 1488 prior to thebracket member 1481 being assembled with the frame member 1491. Curableliquid adhesives, adhesive tapes or films, or other types of adhesivesmay be used to adhere the first compliant member 1487 to the framemember 1491, to adhere the first compliant member to the secondcompliant member 1488, and/or to adhere the second compliant member 1488to the bracket member 1481.

The relatively lower stiffness of the first compliant member 1487 mayalso form an environmental seal (e.g., air and/or water tight) againstthe frame member 1487. The bracket member 1481 may be secured to thedevice such that the first and second compliant members 1487, 1488 aremaintained in a compressed state. While FIG. 14H shows a particularstructural configuration that includes both a bracket member 1481 and aframe member 1491, the multi-layer compliant structure may be used withother types of structural configurations as well, such as configurationsthat omit the bracket member 1481 (or part of the bracket member 1481),and mount a camera module to the frame member 1491 or another housingmember or structure (and thus position the multi-layer compliantstructure between the camera module and the frame member 1491 or theother housing member or structure).

As the number of cameras integrated with a device increase, the overallcomplexity and number of electrical interconnections that must be madebetween the cameras and other circuitry in the device. FIG. 14Iillustrates how the multiple camera modules may share a common connectorby conductively coupling flexible circuit elements from two differentcamera modules. For example, the first camera module 1402 may include(or be coupled to) a first flexible circuit element 1492 that includes aconnector 1493. Conductive traces in the first flexible circuit element1492 conductively couple components of the first camera module 1402 tothe connector 1493 (and therefore to other components of the device).The third camera module 1406 may also include (or be coupled to) asecond flexible circuit element 1495. The second flexible circuitelement 1495 may lack a connector, and instead may be conductivelycoupled to an interconnect area 1494 of the first flexible circuitelement 1495. Conductive traces in the first flexible circuit element1492 may then conductively couple the connector 1493 to the traces inthe second flexible circuit element 1495 and, ultimately, conductivelycouple electrical components of the second camera module to othercomponents of the device (e.g., processors, circuitry, memory, power,etc.). As shown in FIG. 14I, the second camera module 1404 may include(or be coupled to) a third flexible circuit element 1496 that includesits own connector.

FIG. 14J shows the interconnect area 1494 of the first flexible circuitelement 1492, and a corresponding interconnect area of the secondflexible circuit element 1495. The first flexible circuit element 1492includes a plurality of first solder pads 1498, and the second flexiblecircuit element 1495 includes a plurality of second solder pads 1499that are configured to be soldered to corresponding ones of the firstsolder pads 1498. The first and second solder pads may be arranged inany suitable pattern, such as a grid pattern (as shown). The first andsecond solder pads may have different sizes to accommodate slightmisalignments between the interconnect areas when the camera modules areassembled together. More particularly, as noted above, the alignment ofthe camera modules within the overall system and relative to one anothermay be important for providing a target performance level of the camerasand/or other optical functionalities. Accordingly, the solder pads, andthe interconnect areas more generally, may be configured so that theconductive connections can be formed despite misalignments of theinterconnect areas (which may result during the physical alignmentprocesses for the camera modules). This may include configuring one ofthe groups of solder pads to have a larger size than the other. Forexample, as shown, the second solder pads 1499 are larger than the firstsolder pads 1498. Accordingly, even if the first and second solder padsdo not line up perfectly with one another (e.g., so each first solderpad is centered over the corresponding second solder pad), a positiveconductive coupling is still formed. Further, the larger solder pads(the second solder pads 1499 in this case) may include a plurality ofvias 1497-1, 1497-2, 1497-3, which are configured to draw in orotherwise accept excess solder that may be present during the solderingof the first and second solder pads together. The multiple vias 1497 oneach second solder pad 1499 may aid in the misalignment tolerance of thesolder pads (as compared to solder pads with single vias, for example),because the solder connection between the solder pads will always beproximate to at least one of the multiple vias, even to the extent thatthe solder pads are not perfectly centered with respect to one another.

While FIGS. 14A-14J illustrate example devices that include three cameramodules, this is merely one example implementation, and similarstructures, features, techniques, and concepts may be applied to deviceswith other numbers of camera modules as well (e.g., one, two, four,five, or more camera modules). As one example, a device with tworear-facing cameras (e.g., the devices 100, 200, 400) may include abracket member similar to the bracket member 1410, but with only tworeceptacles (e.g., one receptacle for each rear-facing camera module).As another example, a frame member similar to the frame member 1408 (inFIG. 14G) but with only two holes for cameras may be welded to thedevice in the same manner shown and described with respect to FIG. 14G.Similar adaptations may be made to other structures or architectures.

FIG. 15A illustrates an example camera 1500 with an image stabilizationsystem. The camera 1500 may correspond to the second camera 1404 in FIG.14 (which may, for example, have a 12 megapixel image sensor and asuper-wide angle lens (120° FOV) with an aperture number of f/2.4).

The camera 1500 includes a lens assembly 1502. The lens assembly 1502may include one or more lens elements in a lens housing. The lenselement(s) may define a lens with a 120° FOV and an aperture number off/2.4. The lens housing may define a first retention feature 1504configured to engage with a complementary feature of another componentof the camera to retain the lens assembly with the camera 1500. Forexample, the camera 1500 may include a first housing member 1506 thatdefines an opening 1508 that receives the lens assembly 1502. The firsthousing member 1506 may further define a second retention feature 1510that is configured to engage the first retention feature 1504 to retainthe lens assembly 1502 to the first housing member 1506. The camera 1500may further include a second housing member 1528 that attaches to thefirst housing member 1506. The first and second housing members 1506,1528 may define an interior volume for holding components of the camera,and together they may at least partially enclose those components. Thecamera 1500 may also include a sensor (e.g., a 12 megapixel imagesensor) on a circuit board 1512.

As noted above, the camera 1500 may provide image stabilizationfunctionality. Image stabilization may be performed along multiple axes.The camera 1500, for example, provides image stabilization along threeaxes. For example, image stabilization along an axis 1501 may beprovided by a first actuation system within the lens assembly 1502. Thefirst actuation system may include, for example, motors, actuators,and/or other components. When a movement of the device that has acomponent along the first axis 1501 is detected, the camera 1500 maycause one or more lens elements to move along the first axis 1501. Thismovement may be configured to at least partially compensate for themovement of the device to attempt to maintain a sharp, in-focus image.

Image stabilization along second and third axes 1520, 1522 may beprovided by a second actuation system that moves the sensor 1514relative to the lens assembly 1502. Motion of the sensor may be providedby the second actuation system, which may use electromagnetic actuatorsto produce the motion. The second actuation system may includeelectromagnetic coils, magnets, armature coils, and/or other suitablecomponents. In some cases, the elements 1518-1, 1518-2, 1518-3, and1518-4 may be armature elements, which may each include an armature coil(and optionally a ferritic or other material core about which thearmature coil may be wound) that is configured to be selectivelyenergized to produce a force that will move the circuit board 1512(which is one example of an image sensor carrier on which the imagesensor may be attached) along one or both axes 1520, 1522. In othercases the elements 1518-1, 1518-2, 1518-3, and 1518-4 may be magnets,and a coil (e.g., a coil mounted to a flexible connector 1524, thehousing member 1506, the second housing member 1528, or anotherstructure) may cause the elements 1518-1, 1518-2, 1518-3, and 1518-4 tomove the circuit board 1512 along one or both axes 1520, 1522.

In order to provide image stabilization functionality using the movingcircuit board system, when a movement of the device that has a componentalong the second axis 1520 and/or the third axis 1522 is detected, thecamera 1500 may cause the circuit board 1512 to move along the secondaxis 1520 and/or the third axis 1522 in a manner that at least partiallycompensates for the movement of the device. By moving the lens assemblyalong the first axis 1501 and the circuit board 1512 (and sensor 1514)along the second and third axes 1520, 1522, three-axis imagestabilization may be provided by the camera 1500. In some cases, imagestabilization functionality may be provided by moving the lens assembly1502 along two or three (or more) axes (instead of the one shown in FIG.15A), and by moving the circuit board 1512 (and sensor 1514) along three(or more or fewer) axes.

In order to allow the circuit board 1512 to move relative to structuralcomponents of the camera 1500 (e.g., the housing member 1506 and thesecond housing member 1528) while also allowing electricalinterconnection from the circuit board 1512 to other components of adevice (e.g., processors, memory, power circuitry, etc.), the camera1500 may include a flexible connector 1524 that conductively couples tothe circuit board 1512 via conductive pads (e.g., solder pads) on aninner segment 1525, and to other components of the device (e.g., aprocessor, memory, power circuitry, etc.) via conductive pads on aconnector portion 1529 of an outer segment 1532. The inner segment 1525may be conductively yet flexibly coupled to the outer segment 1532 viaflexible support members 1527. The flexible support members 1527 may beformed by cutting slits or otherwise removing material from the flexibleconnector 1524 to form a plurality of strips that connect to the innerand outer segments 1525, 1532. The strips of the flexible supportmembers 1527 may include conductive traces (e.g., metal, indium tinoxide, etc.) to conductively couple the inner and outer segments 1525,1532.

The flexible support members 1527 may be conductively and physicallycoupled to the outer segment 1532 at outer connection regions 1530, andto the inner segment 1525 at inner connection regions 1531. The innerconnection regions 1531 may be positioned on opposite sides of theflexible connector 1524, and the outer connection regions 1530 may alsobe positioned on opposite sides of the flexible connector 1524 (and onadjacent sides relative to the inner connection regions 1531.Accordingly, each flexible support member may extend around a corner ofthe flexible connector 1524, thereby providing a suitable length of theflexible connector material to allow the inner segment 1525 to moverelative to the outer segment 1532 while maintaining conductive couplingtherebetween.

FIG. 15B is a partial cross-sectional view of the flexible connector1524, viewed along line 15B-15B in FIG. 15A. The flexible connector 1524may be formed of multiple layers. For example, a base layer 1533 may bea metal layer (e.g., formed from or comprising a metal such as a coppertitanium alloy) having a thickness of between about 100 and about 140microns. A base dielectric layer 1534 (e.g., a polyimide layer) having athickness of between about 8 and about 12 microns may be positioned onthe base layer 1533. A conductive layer 1535 (e.g., copper traces havinga thickness between about 10 and about 40 microns), which may includethe conductive pads and the conductive traces that extend along thestrips of the flexible support members 1527, may be positioned on thebase dielectric layer 1534. A cover layer 1536 (e.g., a covercoat havinga thickness of between about 3 and about 8 microns) may be positioned onthe conductive layer 1535. While the dielectric layer 1534, conductivelayer 1535, and cover layer 1536 are labelled only on the outer segment1532, the same layers may be present on the inner segment 1525 andflexible support members 1527, as shown in FIG. 15B.

In some cases, the flexible connector 1524 may be formed by applyingand/or depositing the dielectric layer 1534, conductive layer 1535, andcover layer 1536 on a sheet of material (e.g., the base layer material).The material may lack the slots 1537 (also referred to as gaps) betweenthe flexible support members 1527 and the inner and outer segments 1525,1532, and may resemble a continuous sheet or layer (as indicated by thedotted horizontal lines in FIG. 15B). The base layer material may thenbe etched or cut to form the slots 1537, thereby defining the distinctflexible support members 1527 and the inner and outer segments 1525,1532. The base layer 1533 may be etched or cut using any suitableprocess, including laser etching or cutting, plasma etching or cutting,machining, chemical etching, or the like.

As noted above, the devices described herein may include a flash that isconfigured to illuminate a scene to facilitate capturing images with oneor more cameras of the electronic device. The flash, also referred to asa flash module, may include one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs)that produce the light to illuminate the scene. The flash module may bepart of or positioned proximate a sensor array to facilitateillumination of scenes for flash photography.

FIG. 16A illustrates a back view of a flash module 1600 (e.g., the sideof the flash module that faces the interior of the device) that may beused with the devices described herein. For example, the flash modulemay be aligned with a flash window 1409 (FIGS. 14A, 14B). The flashmodule 1600 may include a carrier 1601 and a circuit board 1602. Thecircuit board 1602 may be attached to the carrier 1601, and the carrier1601 may be secured to the device (e.g., in an opening or proximate awindow in a rear cover of the device).

The circuit board 1602 may include electrical contact pads 1604 and 1606arranged in a generally circular arrangement. For example, the circuitboard 1602 may include a set of first contact pads 1604 arranged in afirst generally circular arrangement (e.g., along a circle having afirst diameter), and a set of second contact pads 1606 arranged in asecond generally circular arrangement (e.g., along a circle having asecond diameter that is larger than the first diameter) and around theset of first contact pads 1604. The set of first contact pads 1604and/or the set of second contact pads 1606 may be spaced evenly abouttheir respective circles (e.g., having a same distance between any twoadjacent contact pads).

The set of first contact pads 1604 may be used to conductively couplethe LEDs (and/or other circuitry, processors, or other electricalcomponents) of the flash module 1600 to other circuitry and/orcomponents of a device. Thus, wires, traces, leads, or other conductiveelements may be soldered, welded, or otherwise conductively coupled tothe set of first contact pads 1604. The set of second contact pads 1606may also be conductively coupled to the LEDs (and/or other circuitry,processors, or other electrical components) of the flash module 1600,and may be provided to facilitate testing of the flash module withouthaving to make physical contact with the set of first contact pads 1604,thereby avoiding potential damage or contamination of the set of firstcontact pads 1604.

FIG. 16B is a partial cross-sectional view of the flash module 1600,viewed along line 16B-16B in FIG. 16A, showing an example integration ofthe circuit board 1602 with the carrier 1601. The carrier 1601 may be asingle unitary piece of light transmissive material, such as glass, alight-transmissive polymer, sapphire, or the like.

The carrier 1601 may define a ledge 1614, which may define a recess inwhich the circuit board 1602 is positioned. For example, the ledge 1614may be recessed relative to a back surface 1612 of the carrier 1601. Theledge 1614 may be recessed from the back surface 1612 a distance that issubstantially equal to the thickness of the circuit board 1602 or isotherwise configured based on a dimension of the circuit board 1602 suchthat the back of the circuit board 1602 is flush with or recessedrelative to the back surface 1612 of the carrier 1601. The circuit board1602 may be attached to the carrier 1601 via an adhesive (e.g., betweenthe ledge 1614 and the circuit board 1602).

In some cases, a coating 1661, such as an ink, mask, dye, paint, film, avapor deposition coating (e.g., chemical or plasma vapor deposition), orthe like, may be applied to the back surface 1612. In some cases, thecoating 1661 is an opaque white coating. In other cases, the coating1661 is a mirror-like reflective coating (e.g., a silver PVD or CVDcoating). The coating 1661 may prevent or limit the visibility ofinternal components of a device through the material of the carrier1601, and may help avoid the presence of a black or dark ring-likeappearance around the perimeter of the flash module 1600 (e.g., when theexternal-facing surface of the flash module 1600 is viewed when theflash module 1600 is integrated with a device).

FIG. 16B also shows light emitting elements 1608 and 1610 (e.g., LEDs)attached to the circuit board 1602 and configured to emit lightdownward, towards a lens portion 1616 of the carrier 1601. The lensportion 1616 may be or define a Fresnel lens (or other type of lens)that focuses, diffuses, or otherwise changes the light to produce adesired spread or illumination angle. The lens portion 1616 may beintegrally formed into the carrier 1601 (e.g., the material of thecarrier 1601 may define the lens portion 1616). In some cases, the lensportion 1616 may be a separate element that is attached to the carrier1601.

The carrier 1601 may also define a recess 1618 in a sidewall to receivea compliant member 1620. The compliant member 1620 may be an o-ring (orother suitable compliant member) and may be configured to form anenvironmental seal between the carrier 1601 and part of the housing ofthe device in which it is integrated (e.g., the surfaces of a hole orrecess in a rear cover of a device).

FIG. 16C is a partial cross-sectional view of a flash module 1630,showing a view similar to that of FIG. 16B. The flash module 1630includes a differently configured carrier 1631 and compliant member1634. In particular, the carrier 1631 may define a shaped recess 1632 ina sidewall, and the shaped recess 1632 is configured to receive a shapedcompliant member 1634. The shaped compliant member 1634 may be molded inplace in the recess 1632. For example, a flowable material, such as apolymer material, may be introduced into the shaped recess 1632 andallowed to at least partially cure to form the compliant member 1634. Anexternal mold or other tool may surround the carrier 1631 during thepolymer introduction and/or injection process to form the shape of theexterior surfaces of the compliant member 1634.

The shaped compliant member 1634 (and the shaped recess 1632) may extendfurther into the sidewall of the carrier 1631 than the compliant member1620 and the recess 1618 in FIG. 16B. This configuration may allow thecompliant member 1634, which may be opaque, to occlude or otherwiseblock the appearance of the internal components of the flash module 1630and the internal components of a device more generally. For example, theshaped compliant member 1634 extends into the sidewall of the carrier1631 such that there is a distance 1636 between the end of the shapedcompliant member 1634 and the outer perimeter of the lens portion 1633of the carrier 1631. By contrast, as shown in FIG. 16B, the compliantmember 1620 may extend a shorter distance into the sidewall, resultingin a distance 1622 (which is greater than the distance 1636), therebypotentially allowing more visibility into the internals of the flashmodule and the device. The greater depth of the shaped recess 1632 andthe increased size and the contoured shape of the compliant member 1634may also result in a more dimensionally stable compliant member 1634that can stay in a desired position through greater forces anddeflections, as compared to an o-ring for example.

As with the carrier 1601, the carrier 1631 may be a single unitary pieceof light transmissive material, such as glass, a light-transmissivepolymer, sapphire, or the like. The flash module 1630 may also includethe circuit board 1602 and the light emitting elements 1608 and 1610(e.g., LEDs), and the circuit board 1602 may be attached to the carrier1631 in the same or similar manner as the flash module 1630.

Flash modules may be manufactured by an assembly process in which thecircuit boards are singulated from a base sheet and then attached to anadhesive sheet in an array for further assembly. FIG. 16D illustratesportions of the assembly process for the flash modules described herein.At state 1640, individual circuit boards 1652 for flash modules may befabricated on a substrate 1650. The substrate 1650 may be a circuitboard (e.g., a mother sheet), and the circuit boards 1652 may includetraces, contact pads, and/or other conductive elements to facilitateelectrical interconnection of the flash module's components.

At state 1642, electrical components of the flash module have beenapplied to the circuit boards 1652. The electrical components may beapplied using surface mount technology (SMT) assembly processes, or anyother suitable process. The electrical components may include, forexample, processors, LEDs, integrated circuits, and/or other electricalcomponents of the flash module.

At state 1644, the individual circuit boards 1652 are singulated fromthe substrate 1650 (e.g., with a cutter 1656, which may be a knife,laser, or the like) so that they can be applied to a temporary adhesivesubstrate 1654, as shown at state 1646. While on the temporary adhesivesubstrate 1654 (e.g., a silicone tape), carriers 1658 are attached tothe circuit board 1652 (e.g., via an adhesive, as described above).State 1648 shows a completed flash module 1660 (which includes a circuitboard, carrier, LEDs, and other components of a flash module) beingremoved from the temporary adhesive substrate 1654. The completed flashmodule 1660 may be subjected to further processing (e.g., applying masklayers, adhesives, etc.) and then assembled into a device such as amobile phone.

By applying singulated circuit boards to the temporary adhesivesubstrate 1654 (e.g., in an array or grid pattern) as described in FIG.16D, the process of attaching the carriers to the circuit boards may beperformed using pick-and-place machinery, SMT machinery, and/or otherautomated machinery and assembly processes that may be faster and/ormore efficient than other types of assembly processes (e.g., attachingcarriers to singulated circuit boards that are free from one another).

The display in a device such as a mobile phone provides a large degreeof the functionality of the device, but can also present challenges. Forexample, unwanted light leaks from the display may produce distractingand unattractive visual phenomenon. Accordingly, devices may includefeatures and configurations to reduce or eliminate light leaks and/orthe appearance of light leaks.

FIG. 17A illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of a device 1700,which may be an embodiment of the device 600 or any other devicedescribed herein. Details of those devices may be equally applicable tothe device 1700, and will not be repeated here for brevity. The device1700 includes a cover 1702 and a housing member 1704, which may beembodiments of other covers and housing members described herein, anddetails of those components will not be repeated here for brevity. Asnoted above, some light that is emitted from a display during normal useof the display may propagate through the cover 1702 and exit the coverfrom a side, edge, or corner of the cover 1702. For example, FIG. 17Aillustrates example light rays 1706 (which may ultimately originate froma display) that propagate towards the perimeter of the cover 1702 andultimately exit from the cover 1702 to produce a light leak 1708. Thelight that exits the cover 1702 may exit the cover 1702 at variousangles, such that a portion of the light 1706 reflects off of thehousing member 1704 while another portion does not. Whereas the lightrays 1706 are shown incident on a top or outer edge, light rays 1703,which may come from the display, may be incident on an inner or bottomedge 1705 of the cover 1702. The light rays 1703 may be reflected off ofthe edge 1705 (or otherwise illuminate the edge 1705) and may be visiblethrough the cover 1702.

The portions of the housing members that are near the light leak areas(e.g., edges of the cover, which extend around the perimeter of thecover) may have shapes, textures, coatings, and/or other treatments orfeatures that are configured to reduce or eliminate the amount and/orappearance of light leaks from a device. For example, FIGS. 17B-17Gillustrate various examples of such configurations.

FIG. 17B, which may correspond generally to the area 17B-17B in FIG.17A, illustrates an example housing member 1710 (which may be anembodiment of the housing member 1704 or any other housing memberdescribed herein) and the cover 1702. A corner region 1712 of thehousing member 1710 may define a cover-facing surface 1714 that issubstantially vertical (relative to the orientation shown in FIG. 17B),and/or is substantially perpendicular to a front exterior surface 1701(also referred to as a top surface) of the cover 1702. As used herein, acover-facing surface may refer to a surface of a housing member on whichlight that exits from a side or edge of the cover is incident orotherwise reflects off of.

A coating may be applied to all or some of the cover-facing surface 1714to absorb, diffuse, or deflect light, or otherwise reduce the amount orvisibility of light that is leaked from the cover 1702 onto the housingmember 1704. For example, one or more layers of ink, dye, film, paint,deposited material (e.g., PVD or CVD layer), or other material may beadhered to, bonded to, formed on, or otherwise applied to all or some ofthe cover-facing surface 1714. As one specific example, a black coatingon the cover-facing surface 1714 may absorb at least a portion ofincident light from the cover 1702. In some cases, a coating may also orinstead be applied to the edge 1705 (which may be a chamfered edge). Thecoating may include a black, opaque ink (one or more layers), which maybe positioned on the bottom (or interior) surface of the cover 1702, thechamfered edge 1705, and a side surface (e.g., between the top andbottom chamfered edges of the cover 1702). Additional details of thecoating on the cover 1702 are described with respect to FIGS. 17H-17I.

In some cases, instead of or in addition to a coating on thecover-facing surface 1714, the cover-facing surface 1714 may have asurface texture that is configured to absorb, diffusely reflect, orotherwise reduce the visibility of light leaked from the cover 1702. Forexample, the cover-facing surface 1714 may have a surface texture with aroot mean square (RMS) height from about 0.1 microns to about 2.5microns, from about 0.25 microns to about 2 microns, or from about 0.5microns to about 2 microns. The surface texture may differ from thesurface texture of other portions of the housing member, which may besmoother (e.g., have a lower RMS height, average roughness, or othersurface parameter) than the textured portion of the cover-facing surface1714. The surface texture may be formed in various ways, such as viamachining, abrasive blasting, chemical etching, laser etching, or thelike.

Other types of surface treatments may also be used. For example, a lasermay be used to change the appearance of the cover-facing surface 1714,such as by darkening the surface, changing a color of the surface, orthe like. Other types of treatments that may be used include anodizing,plating (e.g., electroplating), grinding, machining, abrasive blasting,oxidizing, or the like.

FIG. 17C, which may correspond generally to the area 17B-17B in FIG.17A, illustrates an example housing member 1720 (which may be anembodiment of the housing member 1704 or any other housing memberdescribed herein) and the cover 1702. A corner region 1722 of thehousing member 1720 may define a chamfer surface 1724 (which may beconsidered a cover-facing surface). For example, the chamfer surface1724 may be non-perpendicular and non-parallel to a front exteriorsurface 1701 of the cover 1702. The chamfer surface 1724 may extend atan internal angle of about 135 degrees, relative to a cover-facingsurface 1726 (which may be substantially perpendicular to the frontexterior surface 1701 of the cover 1702), or at another suitable angle(e.g., as shown in FIGS. 17E and 17F). The angle of the chamfer surface1724 may result in a more diffuse reflection or otherwise produce a lessnoticeable appearance of light leaked from the cover 1702. One or bothof the chamfer surface 1724 and the cover-facing surface 1726 mayinclude a coating, texture, and/or be subjected to other surfacetreatments, as described above with respect to FIG. 17B. In some cases,the surfaces may have different combinations of coating, texture, and/orsurface treatments (e.g., one surface may have a different combinationof coatings, textures, and/or surface treatments than another surface).In some cases, a coating may also or instead by applied to the edge1705, as described herein.

FIG. 17D, which may correspond generally to the area 17B-17B in FIG.17A, illustrates an example housing member 1730 (which may be anembodiment of the housing member 1704 or any other housing memberdescribed herein) and the cover 1702. A corner region 1732 of thehousing member 1730 may define a curved surface 1734 (which may beconsidered a cover-facing surface). For example, the curved surface 1734may have a partially cylindrical shape, or have any other curved shape(e.g., a spline). In some implementations, the curved surface 1734 has aradius of curvature between about 5 microns and about 100 microns,between about 5 microns and about 75 microns, or between about 5 micronsand about 50 microns. The curvature and/or shape of the curved surface1734 may reduce the presence and/or appearance of light leaked from thecover 1702 and incident on the curved surface 1734. For example, acurved surface 1734 with a radius of curvature of about 100 microns orless (or about 50 microns or less) limits the surface area that couldreflect light that is leaked from the cover 1702.

One or both of the curved surface 1734 and a cover-facing surface 1736(which may be substantially perpendicular to the front exterior surface1701 of the cover 1702) may include a coating, texture, and/or besubjected to other surface treatments, as described above with respectto FIG. 17B. In some cases, the surfaces may have different combinationsof coating, texture, and/or surface treatments (e.g., one surface mayhave a different combination of coatings, textures, and/or surfacetreatments than another surface). In some cases, a coating may also orinstead by applied to the edge 1705, as described herein.

While FIG. 17C illustrates a chamfer surface with an internal angle ofabout 135 degrees (e.g., a 45 degree chamfer), other angles may also beused. For example, FIG. 17E, which may correspond generally to the area17B-17B in FIG. 17A, illustrates an example housing member 1740 (whichmay be an embodiment of the housing member 1704 or any other housingmember described herein) and the cover 1702. A corner region 1742 of thehousing member 1740 may define a chamfer surface 1744 (which may beconsidered a cover-facing surface). The chamfer surface 1744 may benon-perpendicular and non-parallel to a front exterior surface 1701 ofthe cover 1702. The chamfer surface 1744 may extend at a different anglefrom a cover-facing surface 1746 (which may be substantiallyperpendicular to the front exterior surface 1701 of the cover 1702) ascompared to the chamfer surface 1724 in FIG. 17C. For example, theinternal angle between the chamfer surface 1744 and the cover-facingsurface 1746 may be between about 135 degrees and about 90 degrees. Theangle of the chamfer surface 1744 may result in a more diffusereflection or otherwise produce a less noticeable appearance of lightleaked from the cover 1702. One or both of the chamfer surface 1744 andthe cover-facing surface 1746 may include a coating, texture, and/or besubjected to other surface treatments, as described above with respectto FIG. 17B. In some cases, the surfaces may have different combinationsof coating, texture, and/or surface treatments (e.g., one surface mayhave a different combination of coatings, textures, and/or surfacetreatments than another surface). In some cases, a coating may also orinstead by applied to the edge 1705, as described herein.

FIG. 17F, which may correspond generally to the area 17B-17B in FIG.17A, illustrates an example housing member 1750 (which may be anembodiment of the housing member 1704 or any other housing memberdescribed herein) and the cover 1702. A corner region 1752 of thehousing member 1750 may define a chamfer surface 1754 (which may beconsidered a cover-facing surface). The chamfer surface 1754 may benon-perpendicular and non-parallel to a front exterior surface 1701 ofthe cover 1702. The chamfer surface 1754 may extend at a different anglefrom a cover-facing surface 1756 (which may be substantiallyperpendicular to the front exterior surface 1701 of the cover 1702) ascompared to the chamfer surface 1724 in FIG. 17C. For example, theinternal angle between the chamfer surface 1754 and the cover-facingsurface 1756 may be between about 135 degrees and about 180 degrees. Theangle of the chamfer surface 1754 may result in a more diffusereflection or otherwise produce a less noticeable appearance of lightleaked from the cover 1702. One or both of the chamfer surface 1754 andthe cover-facing surface 1756 may include a coating, texture, and/or besubjected to other surface treatments, as described above with respectto FIG. 17B. In some cases, the surfaces may have different combinationsof coating, texture, and/or surface treatments (e.g., one surface mayhave a different combination of coatings, textures, and/or surfacetreatments than another surface). In some cases, a coating may also orinstead be applied to the edge 1705, as described herein.

FIG. 17G, which may correspond generally to the area 17B-17B in FIG.17A, illustrates an example housing member 1760 (which may be anembodiment of the housing member 1704 or any other housing memberdescribed herein) and the cover 1702. A corner region 1762 of thehousing member 1760 may define a chamfer surface 1764 (which may beconsidered a cover-facing surface). The chamfer surface 1764 may benon-perpendicular and non-parallel to a front exterior surface 1701 ofthe cover 1702. The chamfer surface 1764 may extend at any suitableangle (e.g., with an internal angle between about 90 degrees and about180 degrees) from a cover-facing surface 1766 (which may besubstantially perpendicular to the front exterior surface 1701 of thecover 1702). The housing member 1760 may also define an undercut region1768. The undercut region 1768 may be below the corner region 1762(e.g., further towards the interior of the device as compared to thecorner region 1762), and may include an additional chamfer surface 1767(which may have any suitable angle). The undercut region 1768 may helpabsorb, reflect, and/or deflect light that exits the cover 1702 from aside surface 1769 of the cover 1702. For example, the undercut region1768 may reflect leaked light inwardly (e.g., generally towards theinterior of the device), thereby reducing the amount and/or intensity ofleaked light that is visible to the user. One or more of the chamfersurface 1764, the additional chamfer surface 1767, and a cover-facingsurface 1766 may include a coating, texture, and/or be subjected toother surface treatments, as described above with respect to FIG. 17B.In some cases, the surfaces may have different combinations of coating,texture, and/or surface treatments (e.g., one surface may have adifferent combination of coatings, textures, and/or surface treatmentsthan another surface). In some cases, a coating may also or instead byapplied to the edge 1705, as described herein.

FIG. 17H illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of the cover 1702,illustrating an example configuration for the edges of the cover 1702and a coating to prevent light leaks through the cover 1702. The cover1702 may define a front surface 1701, which may also be referred to as atop surface of the cover 1702, that defines a portion of the exteriorfront surface of a device. The cover 1702 may also define a bottomsurface 1773 that is opposite the front surface 1701. The cover 1702 mayalso define a peripheral side surface 1774. The cover 1702 may alsodefine a first chamfered edge 1705 extending from the bottom surface1773 to the peripheral side surface 1774, and a second chamfered edge1775 extending from the top surface 1701 to the peripheral side surface1774.

A coating 1770, such as an opaque coating, may be positioned on aportion of the bottom surface 1773, the first chamfered edge 1705, andat least a portion of the peripheral side surface 1774 (and optionallyall of the peripheral side surface). The coating 1770 may be configuredto absorb light emitted by the display stack and incident on thechamfered edge 1705 (and/or the apexes where the chamfered edge 1705meets the peripheral side surface 1774 and the bottom surface 1773). Thecoating 1770 may include a layer of ink, such as an opaque, black ink,having an average thickness of about 5 microns. The coating 1770 mayhave a minimum thickness between about 1.5 microns and about 10 microns.In some cases, the coating 1770 includes multiple layers of ink. Thecoating 1770 may also include films, sheets, dyes, deposited coatings(e.g., plasma vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition), or the like.

A cover layer 1771 may cover at least a portion of the coating 1770along the bottom surface 1773, chamfered edge 1705, and peripheral sidesurface 1774. The cover layer 1771 may protect the coating 1770 fromdamage or wear during handling, assembly, and manufacturing. The coverlayer 1771 may be a transparent coating, an opaque coating, or the like.The cover layer 1771 may be an acrylic resin, an epoxy, a film, a sheet,or any other suitable material. The cover layer 1771 may have a higherductility than the coating 1770, and as such may be more resistant todamage than the coating 1770 itself.

FIG. 17I illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of a cover 1780,which is similar to the cover 1702 in FIG. 17H but includes roundedchamfered edges 1784, 1785. The cover 1780 also defines a front surface1783, which may also be referred to as a top surface of the cover 1780,that defines a portion of the exterior front surface of a device. Thecover 1780 may also define a bottom surface 1781 that is opposite thefront surface 1783. The cover 1780 may also define a peripheral sidesurface 1782. A coating 1786 may be positioned on a portion of thebottom surface 1781, a portion of the peripheral side surface 1782, andthe rounded chamfered edge 1784, and a cover layer 1787 may bepositioned on the coating 1786. The coating 1786 and the cover layer1787 may be embodiments of the coating 1770 and the cover layer 1771,and the details of the coating 1770 and the cover layer 1771 will not berepeated here for brevity.

The rounded chamfers 1784 and 1785 may have a non-circular shape. Forexample, the rounded chamfers 1784 and 1785 may be defined by a splinedefined by a varying (e.g., non-constant) radii of curvature. In somecases, the rounded chamfers 1784 and 1785 are mirror images of oneanother and are formed simultaneously (e.g., by a grinding operation).

Devices as described herein may include speakers to produce audio outputthat may be perceived by a user. Such audio output may include, forexample, music, notifications (e.g., ringtones, incoming messagenotification sounds, etc.), voice communications, audio content ofvideos, etc. Because speakers need to be acoustically and/or fluidlycoupled to the external environment, the physical interface between aninternal speaker module and the external environment may requireadequate sealing in order to prevent ingress of water, sweat, dust,and/or other contaminants into the device. Further, speaker modules mayneed to be replaced and/or repaired periodically, and as such it may beadvantageous to physically integrate speaker modules into the device ina manner that facilitates access and removal operations.

As noted above, devices such as the mobile phones described herein mayinclude haptic actuators that produce haptic outputs. A haptic actuatormay include a movable mass and an actuation system that is configured tomove the mass to produce the haptic output. The moveable mass musttherefore have enough mass (relative to the device in which it isintegrated) and must move enough distance to produce a suitablynoticeable haptic output (e.g., one that a user can physically detect,optionally while in a pocket or in a purse). These operationalconstraints thus limit the extent to which the size of the actuator canbe reduced, as it may not be feasible or preferable to have a movablemass that is less than a certain threshold mass or to reduce thedistance that the mass is able to move. However, space inside modernelectronic devices, such as smartphones, is at a premium. Accordingly,techniques for reducing the size of a haptic actuator without reducingits effectiveness may be particularly useful in reducing the overallsizes of devices and/or for fitting more features or components intodevices of the same size.

FIG. 18 illustrates an example arrangement of components in a device1800. FIG. 18 may correspond to a corner of a device (e.g., the device300), viewed with the cover and display removed to show the arrangementof various example internal components. The device 1800 may include ahousing 1802 at least partially defining an interior volume. The device1800 may also include a haptic actuator 1804, a battery 1808, a speakermodule 1810, a first component 1812, a second component 1814, a thirdcomponent 1816, a fourth component 1818, and a fifth component 1820. Thefirst through fifth components may be any suitable electrical and/orstructural components, systems, circuit elements (e.g., circuit boards),or the like. For example, the first component 1812 may be a circuitboard or part of a circuit board that includes circuitry for a chargingport of the device 1800 (and/or other suitable components). The secondcomponent 1814 may be a circuit board or part of a circuit board thatincludes a pressure sensor and a microphone (and/or other suitablecomponents). In some cases, the second component 1814 may also include awater-resistant air-permeable membrane that is positioned over anopening in the housing 1802 to allow air to pass into and out of thedevice 1800, while preventing water and other liquids or contaminantsinto the device 1800.

The third component 1816 may be a circuit board or part of a circuitboard that includes communications components, such as antennas,processors, memory, analog-to-digital converters, filters, amplifiers,power control circuitry, or the like. In some cases, the communicationscomponents may be configured to facilitate WiFi communications (or othercommunication protocols).

The fourth component 1818 may be a circuit board or part of a circuitboard, or another component. In some cases, the fourth component 1818 isa shield, cowling, board-to-board connector, a structural component(e.g., a mounting member or flange, an alignment spring), or the like.

The fifth component 1820 may be a portion of a logic board. The logicboard may include a substrate, and processors, memory, and other circuitelements coupled to the substrate. Where the fifth component 1820 is alogic board, it may include multiple circuit substrates that are stackedand coupled together. The fifth component 1820 may include provisionsfor a subscriber identity module (SIM). The fifth component 1820 mayinclude electrical contacts and/or a SIM tray assembly for receiving aphysical SIM card and/or the fifth component 1820 may include provisionsfor an electronic SIM.

In order to reduce the amount of space required for the haptic actuator1804 while also maintaining its effectiveness in producing hapticoutputs, the haptic actuator 1804 may include an outer housing with anon-rectangular shape. For example, instead of a rectangular shape (asshown by the dotted box 1806), the haptic actuator 1804 may include aperipheral side member with protruding portions 1823 and recessedportions 1822. The protruding portions of the peripheral side memberdefine recessed regions 1824, which may be occupied by other componentsof the device 1800. For example, as shown, the recessed regions 1824allow components such as the battery 1808, the second component 1814,and the third component 1816 to be larger and/or positioned morecompactly arranged than would be possible if the haptic actuator 1804had a parallelogram shape (as illustrated by the box 1806). As describedwith respect to FIG. 19A, the protruding portions 1823 may provide aspace for springs of the haptic actuator to extend into, thus allowingthe recessed portions 1822 to be positioned closer to the movable mass,thereby reducing the amount of empty space within the haptic actuator1804.

FIG. 19A illustrates a portion of a haptic actuator 1900, which may beor may be an embodiment of the haptic actuator 1804 in FIG. 18 . Thehaptic actuator 1900 is shown without a top member or cover to revealinternal components of the haptic actuator 1900.

The haptic actuator 1900 includes a housing 1902 (of which a peripheralside member is shown), which may be formed of metal, polymer, or anyother suitable material. The haptic actuator also includes a movablemass 1908. The movable mass 1908 may include one or more magnets 1910coupled thereto. The magnets 1910 may produce a magnetic field, and thehaptic actuator 1900 may also include coils (e.g., coupled to the topmember or cover of the haptic actuator 1900). The coils and the magnets1910 may interact with one another to produce a force on the movablemass 1908 to cause the movable mass to move (e.g., along a left-rightdirection, as oriented in FIG. 19A) to produce a haptic output. In somecases, the haptic actuator 1900 is a Lorentz force actuator.

The haptic actuator 1900 also includes springs 1906. The springs 1906may be formed from metal, a polymer, or another suitably compliantmaterial. The springs 1906 may provide a return force to the movablemass 1908 during actuation (e.g., left-right movement) of the movablemass 1908. Due to the physical attachment between the movable mass 1908and the housing 1902, the springs 1906 may impart the force or impulseof the movable mass 1908 to the housing 1902, which in turn results inthe force or impulse being imparted to the device more generally toproduce the desired haptic output.

The springs 1906 may also physically maintain the movable mass 1908 in acentral or rest position when the movable mass 1908 is not being movedto produce a haptic output. The springs 1906 may provide structuralsupport in the direction into and out of the page (e.g., thez-direction), such that the movable mass 1908 does not rest or slideagainst top and bottom members or covers of the haptic actuator 1900.The springs 1906 may be secured to the housing 1902 and to the movablemass 1908. For example, the first ends of the springs 1906 may besecured to first locations 1911 on an interior of the housing 1902, andthe second ends of the springs 1906 may be secured to second locations1913 on the movable mass 1908.

The performance of the springs 1906, including parameters such as springconstant, cycle limit, or the like, may depend at least in part on thesize and shape of the springs 1906. In some cases, for example,shortening the springs along the height direction 1915, for example, maychange the spring rate or reduce the cycle limit of the springs 1906.Accordingly, simply shortening the springs 1906 to allow the housing1902 to be reduced in size may result in unsatisfactory operation and/orlifespan of the haptic actuator 1900. In order to reduce the footprintof the haptic actuator 1900 while providing for springs that are longerin the height direction 1915, the housing 1902 includes outwardlyprotruding features 1904. The protruding features 1904 define internalareas or recesses 1917 into which a portion of the springs 1906 extend.As shown, bend portions 1903 of the springs 1906 extend into therecesses 1917, though other spring designs may have other portions ofthe springs extending into the recesses 1917. As described above withrespect to FIG. 18 , by including the protruding features 1904 in theperipheral side member of the housing 1902, another portion of theperipheral side member may define recessed portions 1905 of the housing1902. Stated another way, the protruding portions 1904 and recessedportions 1905 may generally conform to or follow the contour of theouter perimeter of the internal components of the haptic actuator 1900.A distance between the inner surface of the recessed portions of theperipheral side member of the housing 1902 and the movable mass 1908 maybe less than about 1.0 mm, less than about 0.8 mm, less than about 0.5mm, or less than about 0.3 mm.

The recessed portions 1905 result in a haptic actuator that occupiesless space than one in which a housing is formed as a rectangle (orotherwise does not have the protruding and recessed portions). Forexample, lines 1909 show an example location of the peripheral sidemember of a housing that lacks the protruding and recessed portions ofthe haptic actuator 1900. In that case, the housing would enclose emptyspace that could otherwise be used for other components of the device(e.g., allowing increased battery size or the like).

FIG. 19B illustrates another example haptic actuator 1920 that minimizesor reduces the amount of empty space enclosed by the peripheral sidemember of the actuator housing. The haptic actuator 1920 includes ahousing 1922, which may be formed of metal, polymer, or any othersuitable material. The haptic actuator also includes a movable mass 1928which may include magnets 1930. The movable mass 1928 and magnets 1930may be the same as or similar to the movable mass 1908 and magnets 1910of FIG. 19A, and the details of these components will not be repeatedhere for brevity. The haptic actuator 1920 also includes springs 1926.The springs 1926 may be formed from metal, a polymer, or anothersuitably compliant material. The springs 1926 may be the same as orsimilar to the springs 1906 of FIG. 19A, and the details of thesecomponents will not be repeated here for brevity.

Whereas the housing 1902 in FIG. 19A defines protruding portions (andassociated recessed portions) to provide space for the springs whilealso reducing the amount of unused space inside the actuator, thehousing 1922 in FIG. 19B defines openings 1924 to accommodate the bendportions 1923 of the springs 1926. In particular, the portions of thesprings 1926 that extend past the movable mass 1928 extend through theopenings 1924. This allows the peripheral side member 1927 to conform tothe shape of the movable mass 1928. A distance between the inner surfaceof the peripheral side member 1927 and the movable mass 1928 may be lessthan about 1.0 mm, less than about 0.8 mm, less than about 0.5 mm, orless than about 0.3 mm.

Covers may be attached to the housing 1922 over the openings 1924. Thecovers may enclose or seal the housing 1922, for example, to preventingress of contaminants into the haptic actuator 1920. The covers may beflexible components, such as flexible films, fabrics, polymers, or thelike, and may be configured to conform to and/or contact the bendportions 1923 of the springs.

FIG. 20A is a partial cross-sectional view of a device 2003, which maybe an embodiment of the device 700 in FIG. 7 . Accordingly, FIG. 20Aillustrates the device 2003 viewed along a line analogous to line 20-20in FIG. 7 . The device 2003 includes a housing member 2000, which may bean embodiment of the housing member 705 in FIG. 7 . The housing member2000 may be coupled to a rear cover 2010 via an adhesive 2016, asdescribed herein. The housing member 2000 may define a speaker hole 2002(which may correspond to or be analogous to the speaker holes 751, FIG.7 ) that extends through the housing member 2000. The speaker hole 2002may be fluidly coupled to a speaker module 2001 to allow sound (e.g.,propagating pressure waves in air) from the speaker module 2001 to exitthe device. The speaker module 2001 may correspond to or be anembodiment of a speaker module 752, FIG. 7 ). The housing member 2000may define a plurality of speaker holes (as shown in FIG. 7 ), or asingle speaker hole. A speaker hole cover 2004 may be positioned in, maycover, or may otherwise shield the speaker hole 2002. The speaker holecover 2004 may inhibit ingress of water, dust, and/or other debris orcontaminants, while still allowing sound to exit the device 2003 throughthe speaker hole 2002. The speaker hole cover 2004 may include a meshscreen, a semi-permeable membrane, and/or other suitable components. Thespeaker hole cover 2004 (and/or the device 2003 more generally) may alsoinclude springs, brackets, clips, and/or other features or components tosecure the speaker hole cover 2004 to the housing member 2000.

The device 2003 may include a speaker module bracket 2012 (also referredto simply as a bracket 2012) coupled to the housing member 2000. Thebracket 2012 may be coupled to the housing member 2000 via an adhesive2014 (e.g., a PSA, HSA, adhesive film, epoxy, or the like). The bracket2012 may define a protruding portion 2028 that extends at leastpartially into the speaker hole 2002 to facilitate a rigid and securecoupling between the bracket 2012 and the housing member 2000.

The device 2003 may also include a speaker module 2001 that is coupledto the device housing and produces sound. The speaker module 2001 mayinclude a speaker driver 2099 that produces the sound. The speakermodule 2001 may be secured to the housing via screws, bolts, clips,adhesives, and/or other fasteners.

The speaker driver 2099 may be configured to output sound in a directiontransverse to the main plane of the device 2003 (e.g., towards the frontor rear covers, or upward or downward in the orientation shown in FIG.20A). The direction of sound output may also be described as beingparallel to a side exterior surface defined by the housing member 2000.The sound waves may be redirected through a channel and towards thespeaker hole 2002 along the path 2006. For example, the housing member2000 may define a first channel portion 2098, the bracket 2012 maydefine a second channel portion 2097, and the speaker module 2001 maydefine a third channel portion 2096 and a fourth channel portion 2095.The first channel portion 2098 may extend along a first direction thatis oblique (e.g., not parallel to and not perpendicular to) the exteriorside surface defined by the housing member 2000. The second channelportion 2097 may extend along substantially the same direction as thefirst channel portion 2098. The third channel portion 2096 may extendalong a second direction that is different from the first direction, andthe fourth channel portion 2095 may extend along a third direction thatis different from the first and second directions. The serpentine-likepath 2006 that is defined by the various channel portions may facilitatethe porting of sound from the speaker driver 2099 (which may beperpendicular to the front cover of the device) to the speaker hole2002, which is positioned at a middle of a side surface of the housingmember 2000 (which is perpendicular to the front cover of the device).

The device 2003 may also include a sealing assembly 2018 that contactsthe speaker module 2001 and a sealing interface surface 2026 of thebracket 2012 to produce a seal between the speaker module 2001 and thebracket 2012. This may perform several functions. For example, the sealprovided by the sealing assembly 2018 may produce an acoustic seal alongthe sound path 2006 (e.g., the channel or chamber through which soundpasses when travelling from the speaker module 2001 to the speaker hole2002). The acoustic seal may prevent or limit air from escaping thesound path 2006 and entering the interior of the device, as suchescaping air may negatively impact the efficiency, acoustic quality, orother property of the speaker module 2001. The seal provided by thesealing assembly 2018 may also help inhibit any liquid, debris, or othercontaminant that may reach the sound path 2006 from escaping into otherinternal areas of the device 2003.

The sealing assembly 2018 may include a carrier 2022, a first compliantportion 2020, and a second compliant portion 2024. The carrier 2022 maybe a stiff material or combination of materials (relative to thecompliant portions 2020, 2024, for example). For example, the carrier2022 may be formed from a polycarbonate material, a metal sheet, or thelike. The first and second compliant portions 2020, 2024 may be formedfrom or include a foam, elastomer, rubber, or other material that canconform to and/or seal against the sealing surface 2026 and a surface ofthe speaker module 2001. The first and second compliant portions 2020,2024 may be co-molded with the carrier 2022 to secure the compliantportions 2020, 2024 to the carrier 2022 and produce a single assemblythat can be attached to or otherwise assembled with the device 2003. Thefirst and second compliant portions 2020, 2024 may also or instead besecured to the carrier 2022 with adhesives or other fasteningcomponents. The compliant portions 2020, 2024 may be a monolithicstructure (e.g., they may be different portions of a single compliantmaterial structure), or they may be separate components (e.g., twoseparate pieces of compliant material each attached to the carrier2022).

The sealing assembly 2018 may be attached to the speaker module 2001(e.g., via adhesive, mechanical fasteners, etc.), or it may be held inplace by force (e.g., by being compressed between the speaker module2001 and the bracket 2012). In either configuration, the sealingassembly 2018 may be forced into contact with the speaker module 2001and the sealing surface 2026 in order to at least partially deform thematerial of the compliant portions 2020, 2024 and conform them to thespeaker module 2001 and the sealing surface 2026. More particularly,when the speaker module 2001 is fastened to the device 2003 and fixed inposition, the distance between the speaker module 2001 and the sealingsurface 2026 may be smaller than the associated dimension of the sealingassembly 2018. Accordingly, the sealing assembly 2018 is ultimatelycompressed between the sealing surface 2026 and the speaker module 2001,thereby forming the desired seal between the components.

As noted above, the speaker module 2001 may be removable from the device2003 to facilitate repair and/or replacement operations. Further, thespeaker module 2001 may be assembled by positioning the speaker module2001 in place in the device housing and securing the speaker module 2001to the device 2003. It may therefore be advantageous to configure thespeaker module 2001 and the device 2003 more generally so that thespeaker module 2001 may be installed and/or removed simply and withoutinterfering with other components. Accordingly, the speaker module 2001and the bracket 2012 are configured so that the speaker module 2001 canbe removed by lifting the speaker module 2001 vertically out of thedevice 2003, and without requiring significant horizontal movement. Inparticular, the sealing surface 2026 of the bracket 2012 and a bracketinterface portion 2030 of the speaker module 2001 (see FIG. 20B) areangled such that the speaker module 2001 may be attached and/or detachedfrom the device 2003 using a vertical movement of the speaker module2001. For example, the sealing surface 2026 may define a plane that isnon-parallel and non-perpendicular to a plane defined by the exteriorsurface of the rear cover 2010. In some cases the plane defined by thesealing surface 2026 may be angled at about 45 degrees relative to theexterior surface of the rear cover 2010. The oblique angle of thesealing surface 2026 (and thus of the interface between the sealingsurface 2026 and the bracket interface portion 2030 of the speakermodule 2001) may facilitate vertical installation and removaloperations, while also providing a relatively unobstructed sound path2006. By contrast, if the angle were perpendicular to the exteriorsurface of the rear cover, installation and removal of the speakermodule may require a horizontal movement component (or a greaterhorizontal movement component), making installation and removal of thespeaker module 2001 more difficult and inconvenient, and if the anglewere parallel to the exterior surface of the rear cover, the sound path2006 may require sharper corners, angles, and/or turns, which maynegatively impact acoustic performance.

The angled interface, as well as the configuration of the sound path2006, as shown in FIG. 20B may be selected so that the speaker hole 2002is positioned at a central position (vertically) in the housing member2000. By positioning the speaker hole 2002 in or near the verticalmiddle of the housing member 2000, the housing member 2000 may have moreuniform structural properties (e.g., strength, stiffness, etc.) thanwould be the case if the speaker hole 2002 were offset verticallytowards the top or bottom of the housing member 2000 (e.g., because theamount of material above and below the speaker hole 2002 would not bethe same).

FIG. 20B illustrates the speaker module 2001 removed from the device2003. In particular, the speaker module 2001 has been translated along avertical path 2032 (relative to the orientation shown in FIG. 20B). FIG.20B illustrates how the oblique angle of the sealing surface 2026facilitates a removal direction (and thus also an installationdirection) that requires little or no horizontal motion of the speakermodule 2001. In some cases, the speaker module 2001 can be placed incontact with the sealing surface 2026 (and/or against the sealingassembly 2018) with less than about 2.0 mm, about 1.5 mm, about 1.0 mm,about 0.5 mm, or about 0.25 mm of horizontal movement (relative to theorientation shown in FIG. 20B).

FIG. 20C illustrates the device 2003 with another example sealingassembly 2034. The sealing assembly 2034 may operate in a similar mannerto the sealing assembly 2018. The sealing assembly 2034 may include acarrier 2037 and a compliant material that defines a first compliantportion 2035 and a second compliant portion 2036. The carrier 2037 maybe a stiff material or combination of materials (relative to thecompliant portions 2035, 2036, for example). For example, the carrier2037 may be formed from a polycarbonate material, a metal sheet, or thelike. The first and second compliant portions 2035, 2036 may be formedfrom or include a foam, elastomer, rubber, or other material that canconform to and/or seal against the sealing surface 2026 of the bracket2012 and a surface of the speaker module 2001. The material that definesfirst and second compliant portions 2035, 2036 may be co-molded with thecarrier 2037 to secure the compliant material to the carrier 2037 andproduce a single assembly that can be attached to or otherwise assembledwith the device 2003. The compliant material that defines the first andsecond compliant portions 2035, 2036 may also or instead be secured tothe carrier 2037 with adhesives or other fastening components. Thecompliant portions 2035, 2036 may be a monolithic structure (e.g., theymay be different portions of a single compliant material structure), asshown in FIG. 20C.

FIG. 20D is a top view of the sealing assembly 2034. The sealingassembly 2034 defines two openings 2038, separated by a bridge portion2040. The carrier 2037 may define a ring-like structure and also includea bridge structure within the bridge portion 2040, and the compliantmaterial may at least partially encapsulate the carrier 2037, includingthe ring-like structure and the bridge structure. The compliant materialmay also define a protrusion or bump along the bridge portion 2040,which may increase the stiffness or structural rigidity of the bridgeportion 2040, while the bridge portion 2040 helps maintain the shape ofthe sealing assembly 2034 (e.g., resist deformation) when the sealingassembly 2034 is compressed between the speaker module 2001 and thebracket 2012.

As described above, devices described herein may include numerousfront-facing input and/or output devices, such as one or morefront-facing cameras, ambient light sensors, speakers, depth sensors,light projectors, light sensors, and the like. Such devices may alsoinclude front-fired antennas that are front-facing or otherwisepositioned along a front of the device (e.g., the front-firedmillimeter-wave antenna 730, FIG. 7 ). Such components may need to havesubstantially unobstructed access (e.g., optical and/or electromagnetic)to the exterior environment. In order to minimize or reduce the amountof front-facing area that must be devoted to such devices (and thereforeto maximize or increase the amount of front-facing area that can bedevoted to a display), multiple of such devices may be positioned in asingle area along the front of the device. For example, a portion of thedisplay may be cut away or otherwise shaped to define an area where suchdevices may be positioned.

FIG. 21A illustrates a portion of an example device 2100. The portionillustrated in FIG. 21 may correspond to an area 21-21 in FIG. 1A,though the same or a similar area may be found on other example devicesdescribed herein.

The device 2100 may include a display 2102, which may be an embodimentof or otherwise represent other displays described herein, such as thedisplay 103, 203, 303, 403, or 503. The display 2102 may define a recess2104 along an edge of the display 2102, thereby defining an area 2103below a cover of the device 2100 (e.g., analogous to the cover 202)where input/output devices, antennas, and other components may bepositioned without being placed under the display (and thus having totransmit/receive signals, sound, light, etc., through the display 2102).

The device 2100 may include, in the area 2103, a front-facing camera2112, a speaker 2118, a flood illuminator and proximity sensor module2116, an ambient light sensor 2110, an infrared light projector 2114, aninfrared image capture device 2106, and a front-fired antenna 2108, someor all of which may be attached to a frame member or other structuralcomponent of the device 2100. The speaker 2118 may be configured to bepositioned next to or proximate a user's ear when the device 2100 isheld to the user's face during a telephone call. Accordingly, thespeaker 2118 may be aligned with an opening in the cover of the device2100 or otherwise configured to emit sound through the cover.

The front-facing camera 2112 may include an optical lens, image sensor,and any other associated components, and may be configured to captureimages. Images from the front-facing camera 2112 (e.g., still and/orvideo images captured by the user) may be stored in a memory of thedevice 2100.

The device 2100 may also include an infrared light projector 2114 and aninfrared image capture device 2106, which may be components of a facialrecognition sensor (e.g., the facial recognition sensors 252, 352, 452,552). The infrared image capture device 2106 may include an opticallens, an infrared light sensor, and any other associated components tofacilitate the sensing of an infrared image (e.g., an image of areal-world object, such as user's face, that is illuminated at leastpartially with infrared light). The infrared light projector 2114 may beconfigured to emit a pattern or array of infrared dots onto an object(e.g., a user's face), and the infrared image capture device 2106 may beconfigured to capture an image of the illuminated object. The capturedimage may include data corresponding to an array of depth points alongthe face of a user. The device 2100 may use the captured array of depthpoints to identify the user and/or authorize functionality on the device(e.g., unlocking the device, authorizing payments, etc.). Moreparticularly, the device 2100 may compare the array of depth points to akey, and if the array of depth points matches the key (or satisfies asimilarity threshold), the device 2100 may authenticate the user.

The device 2100 may also include an ambient light sensor 2110. Theambient light sensor may determine properties of the ambient lightconditions surrounding the device 2100. The ambient light sensor 2110may include a photosensitive element and a light guide configured todirect light onto the photosensitive element. The device 2100 may useinformation from the ambient light sensor to change, modify, adjust, orotherwise control the display 2102 (e.g., by changing a hue, brightness,saturation, or other optical aspect of the display based on informationfrom the ambient light sensor).

The device 2100 may also include a flood illuminator and proximitysensor module 2116. The flood illuminator and proximity sensor module2116 may include a flood illuminator subsystem 2117, which emitsinfrared light towards an object (e.g., the user's face). The floodilluminator subsystem 2117 may emit a substantially even and/orhomogenous illumination pattern (as contrasted to the infrared lightprojector 2114 that may emit an array of discrete infrared dots). Theflood illuminator subsystem 2117 is further described with respect toFIGS. 21C-21D. The flood illuminator and proximity sensor module 2116may also include a proximity sensor subsystem 2119 that may beconfigured to determine or estimate a distance between the device 2100and an object (e.g., the user's face). Such information may be used, forexample, to determine a parameter of the illumination from the floodilluminator and/or the infrared light projector 2114 (e.g., the amount,intensity, or other parameter of the infrared light emitted by suchdevices).

The device 2100 may also include in the area 2103 a front-fired antenna2108, which may be or may be an embodiment of the front-fired millimeterwave antenna 734. The front-fired antenna 2108 may be configured to sendand/or receive electromagnetic signals through the material of the cover(e.g., through the glass, ceramic, glass-ceramic, or polymer material ofthe cover). Accordingly, the thickness of the cover in the region overthe front-fired antenna 2108 may be configured to reduce or limitattenuation of electromagnetic signals emitted and received by thefront-fired antenna 2108. In some cases, the thickness depends at leastin part on the particular material of the cover.

FIG. 21B shows a rear view of a top module 2121 of the device 2100,including the area 2103. The top module 2121 may be an embodiment of thetop module 201, 301, 401, and 501, described above with respect to FIGS.2-5 . The top module 2121 includes a cover 2126 (which may be anembodiment of the cover 102 or other front-facing covers describedherein) and additional components coupled to the cover 2126. Theadditional components may include a back panel 2124 and a display (e.g.,the display 2102 in FIG. 21A) between the back panel 2124 and the cover2126. Openings may be defined through components of the top module 2121such that the cover 2126 is accessible from the back side of the topmodule 2121. For example, the top module 2121 may include holes thatreveal optical window portions 2127, 2128, 2129, and 2130 of the cover2126, through which cameras, projectors, imaging devices, lenses, and/orother optical components may transmit and/or receive light.

The device 2100 may include brackets 2120, 2122, which may be affixed tothe top module 2121 (e.g., via welding, adhesive, brackets, fasteners,mechanical interlocking structures, or the like). A lens, opticalsensor, and/or other component of the infrared image capture device 2106may be mounted in and affixed to the bracket 2122, and the front-facingcamera 2112 may be mounted in and affixed to the bracket 2120. Thebrackets 2120, 2122 may be used to ensure proper alignment of theoptical components that are mounted to them. Further, the brackets 2120,2122 may be rigidly coupled to the back panel 2124 (e.g., the bracketsmay be formed of or include metal and may be welded to a metal portionof the back panel 2124). Accordingly, the brackets 2120, 2122 mayprovide a dimensionally stable mounting structure for the opticalcomponents mounted thereto, thereby inhibiting motion of the opticalcomponents during use of the device or as a result of potentiallydamaging events such as drops or impacts.

FIG. 21C is a partial cross-sectional view of the flood illuminator andproximity sensor module 2116 (also referred to as a flood/prox module2116), viewed along line 21C-21C in FIG. 21A, showing an exampleconfiguration of the flood illuminator subsystem 2117. The flood/proxmodule 2116 includes a cover structure 2132 that may cover and at leastpartially enclose the components of the flood illuminator subsystem2117. The cover structure 2132 may define an opening 2115 that allowslight (e.g., infrared light) out of the cover structure 2132. The floodilluminator subsystem 2117 may also include a light emitter 2130, whichmay include a laser that produces infrared light to illuminate an object(e.g., a user's face) with a substantially even and/or homogenousillumination pattern of infrared light. The cover structure 2132 and thelight emitter 2130 may be attached to a substrate or base 2134.

The flood illuminator subsystem 2117 may also include a lighttransmissive component 2136 (also referred to as a diffuser) positionedabove the light emitter 2130. The light transmissive component may beformed from glass, polymer, sapphire, or another light transmissivematerial. The light transmissive component 2136 may include additionallayers and/or components. For example, the light transmissive component2136 may include filter layers, coatings, diffraction layers, circuitlayers, mask layers, and the like.

The light transmissive component 2136 and the cover structure 2132 maybe configured to prevent unfiltered and/or uncontrolled laser light(which may be emitted from the light emitter 2130) from exiting a devicein which the flood illuminator subsystem 2117 is integrated.Accordingly, the device may monitor the flood illuminator subsystem 2117to ensure that the light transmissive component 2136 and the coverstructure 2132 are in place and have not been removed, moved out ofposition, damaged, or otherwise unable to adequately perform theirfunctions (e.g., of blocking, filtering, attenuating, or otherwiseaffecting light emitted from the light emitter 2130).

A device may monitor the status of the light transmissive component 2136and the cover structure 2132 by monitoring the status of conductivepaths that extend through the light transmissive component 2136 and thecover structure 2132. For example, as shown in FIG. 21C, a conductivetrace layer 2138 may be adhered or otherwise secured to the lighttransmissive component 2136. The conductive trace layer 2138 may includea conductive trace, which may define a serpentine or other suitablepattern over the surface of the conductive trace layer 2138 and over thelight transmissive component 2136 more generally. The conductive tracelayer 2138 may include a metallic trace layer (e.g., copper, silvernanowire), indium tin oxide (ITO), or another suitable conductivematerial. A first wire 2140 may be conductively coupled to a first endof the conductive trace layer 2138, and a second wire 2142 may beconductively coupled to a second end of the conductive trace layer 2138,and the first and second wires 2140, 2142 may be conductively coupled tocontact pads 2144, 2143, respectively. The contact pads 2144, 2143, thewires 2140, 2142, and the conductive trace of the conductive trace layer2138 may define a conductive path that may be monitored by the device.If the conductive path is severed, damaged, or otherwise physicallyaffected (e.g., if the device detects an open circuit, short circuit, achange in resistance, or the like), the device may shut off the lightemitter 2130, as this condition may indicate that the light transmissivecomponent 2136 has been broken, shifted, moved, damaged, or otherwiserendered less effective or ineffective. In some cases, the conductivepath is part of a hardwired or dedicated failsafe circuit, such that ifthe conductive path is broken or otherwise negatively affected, thelight emitter 2130 ceases operation (e.g., a power supply to the lightemitter 2130 is terminated).

The flood/prox module 2116 may optionally include a coating 2137positioned on the light transmissive component 2136 and on theconductive trace layer 2138. The coating 2137 may be configured toprotect the conductive trace layer 2138 from damage due to electrostaticdischarge. For example, an electrostatic discharge that arcs to theconductive trace layer 2138 may damage the conductive trace layer 2138,leading to the flood/prox module 2116 detecting a fault and/or ceasingoperation. The coating 2137 may absorb or otherwise prevent energy fromthe electrostatic discharge from damaging the conductive trace layer2138. The coating 2137 may be any suitable coating, such as a conductivecoating, an antireflective coating, or the like. The coating 2137 mayinclude metals, transparent conductive oxides, or the like. The coating2137 may be transparent, at least to spectra that are utilized by theflood/prox module 2116 and are transmitted through the lighttransmissive component 2136.

The cover structure 2132 may also be monitored or otherwise integratedwith a failsafe circuit so that movement, breakage, removal, or otherdamage to the cover structure 2132 may cause the light emitter 2130 tocease operations. For example, as shown in FIG. 21D, which is a partialcross-sectional view of the flood illuminator subsystem 2117 viewedalong line 21D-21D in FIG. 21A, the cover structure 2132 may have aconductor 2146 at least partially embedded in the material of the coverstructure 2132 (which may be a polymer material) or otherwise attachedto the cover structure 2132. The conductor 2146 may be conductivelycoupled to contact pads 2148 and 2149, thereby defining a conductivepath that may be monitored by the device. If the conductive path issevered, damaged, or otherwise physically affected (e.g., if the devicedetects an open circuit, short circuit, a change in resistance, or thelike), the device may shut off the light emitter 2130, as this conditionmay indicate that the cover structure 2132 has been broken, shifted,moved, damaged, or otherwise rendered less effective or ineffective. Insome cases, the conductive path through the conductor 2146 is part of ahardwired or dedicated failsafe circuit, such that if the conductivepath is broken or otherwise negatively affected, the light emitter 2130ceases operation (e.g., a power supply to the light emitter 2130 isterminated).

FIG. 21E is a top view of the light transmissive component 2136 of theflood/prox module 2116, showing an example configuration of a conductivetrace 2181 of the conductive trace layer 2138. The conductive trace 2181may define a serpentine pattern along the light transmissive component2136. The serpentine pattern ensures that the conductive trace 2181extends over much of the area of the light transmissive component 2136so that a break or crack in the light transmissive component 2136 islikely to sever the conductive trace 2181 so that the crack or break canbe detected (e.g., due to loss of continuity through the conductivetrace 2181). The conductive trace 2181 may be conductively coupled tocontacts 2180, 2182, which may be solder pads (e.g., copper, gold, orother the like). The wires 2140, 2142 (FIG. 21C) may be conductivelycoupled (e.g., soldered) to the contacts 2180, 2182, therebyconductively coupling the wires 2140, 2142 to the conductive trace 2181.

FIG. 21F is a top view of another example light transmissive component2186 for the flood/prox module 2116, showing an example configuration ofa conductive trace 2185. The conductive trace 2185 may havesubstantially the same shape and configuration as the conductive trace2181. The conductive trace 2185 may be conductively coupled to contacts2183, 2184, which may be solder pads (e.g., copper, gold, or other thelike). The wires 2140, 2142 (FIG. 21C) may be conductively coupled(e.g., soldered) to the contacts 2183, 2184, thereby conductivelycoupling the wires 2140, 2142 to the conductive trace 2185. The contacts2183, 2184 may each extend along two sides of the light transmissivecomponent 2186, as shown in FIG. 21F, and may serve as electrostaticdischarge collectors. For example, electrostatic discharges proximatethe light transmissive component 2186 may be attracted to the contacts2183, 2184, such that the arc may tend to contact the contacts 2183,2184 rather than the more delicate conductive trace 2185. The relativelylarger surface of the contacts 2183, 2184, as well as the shape wherebythe contacts extend together almost entirely around the periphery of thelight transmissive component 2186, increase the likelihood that an arcwill be drawn to the contacts 2183, 2184, and help dissipate the energyfrom the discharge, thereby reducing the likelihood of damage to theconductive trace 2185.

FIG. 21G illustrates the ambient light sensor 2110, decoupled from aframe or other structural member of the device 2100, and FIG. 21Hillustrates an exploded view of the ambient light sensor 2110. As notedabove, the ambient light sensor may determine properties of the ambientlight conditions surrounding the device 2100, and the device 2100 mayuse information from the ambient light sensor to change, modify, adjust,or otherwise control the display of the device (e.g., by changing a hue,brightness, saturation, or other optical aspect of the display based oninformation from the ambient light sensor), or perform other actions(e.g., change notification settings based on an inferred condition, suchas that the device is in a pocket or purse).

The ambient light sensor 2110 may include a frame member 2154. A filter2152 may be positioned in a recess defined by the frame member 2154, andmay cover an opening 2160 in the frame member. For example, the framemember 2154 may define a ledge 2158 (which may be recessed relative to atop surface 2156 of the frame member 2154), and the filter 2152 may bepositioned on and optionally attached to (e.g., via an adhesive) to theledge 2158. The filter 2152 may be configured to filter out light in aparticular wavelength range. For example, the filter 2152 may be aninfrared cut filter, and may filter and/or attenuate light in aninfrared range (and optionally in an ultraviolet range). The filter 2152may be or may include a blue glass and/or other suitable material(s). Adiffuser 2150 may be positioned on a surface of the filter 2152. Thediffuser 2150 may be a translucent material that diffuses incoming lightor otherwise produces a more homogenous pattern of light, which mayimprove the operation of the ambient light sensor 2110 and provide formore even distribution of light on the photosensitive sensor of theambient light sensor 2110. In some cases, the functions of the filter2152 and the diffuser 2150 may be performed by a single unitarycomponent, such as a single piece of glass, plastic, ceramic, sapphire,or the like.

As noted above, the frame member 2154 may define an opening 2160 throughwhich light may pass so as to fall on the sensor 2162. The sensor 2162may be coupled to a circuit board 2164, which may include componentssuch as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Together, thesensor 2162 and the circuit board 2164 (which may include the ASICand/or other electronic components) may be able to detect ambient lightlevels of the environment surrounding the device 2100.

The ambient light sensor 2110 may be attached to a front cover of anelectronic device. For example, an adhesive (e.g., an optically clearadhesive) may be positioned between and may adhere the top surface 2156of the frame member 2154 and a portion of the front cover of a device.

FIG. 21I illustrates another example ambient light sensor 2170. Theambient light sensor 2170 is the same as the ambient light sensor 2110,except that the ambient light sensor 2170 includes polymer structures2174 along an outer portion of a frame member 2172. The polymerstructures 2174 may be molded to the frame member 2172, or attached inanother way (e.g., via an adhesive, ultrasonic weld, etc.). The polymerstructures may be formed of or include a material having a Shore Adurometer of between about 85 and about 95. The polymer structures maybe formed from a one-part silicone, a two-part silicone, or anotherelastomeric material. The frame member 2172 may be formed from aglass-filled nylon, a polycarbonate, or another suitable polymermaterial.

The polymer structures 2174 may be more compliant and/or flexible thanthe frame member 2172, and may be configured to form a light sealbetween the ambient light sensor and surrounding components. The polymerstructures 2174 may also define mechanical interlock features, such as alip 2176 (a same or similar lip may protrude from the opposite side ofthe ambient light sensor 2170, or the lip 2176 may be the only lip). Themechanical interlock features of the polymer structures 2174 may beconfigured to mechanically interlock or otherwise engage with a framemember or other structure of the device 2100 to help retain the ambientlight sensor 2170 in place during manufacturing and/or use of thedevice.

The top surfaces 2179 of the polymer structures 2174 may be higher thanthe top surface 2178 of the frame member 2172. In some cases, the topsurfaces 2179 of the polymer structures 2174 may contact the bottomsurface of a front cover of a device. Accordingly, the top surfaces 2179may act as bumpers that interface with the front cover. In some cases,the top surfaces 2179 of the polymer structures 2174 are softer than theframe member 2172, and may help prevent scratching or damage to thefront cover and/or coatings or masks on the front cover. They may alsoreduce the shock loading on the ambient light sensor 2170 and/or thefront cover in the event of an impact or drop event.

The frame member 2172 may define interlock structures 2177 that thepolymer structures 2174 engage to retain the polymer structures 2174 tothe frame member 2172. The polymer structures 2174 may be molded ontothe frame member 2172 so that they form the corresponding interlock withthe interlock structures 2177. For example, a polymer material in amoldable state may be applied to the frame member 2172, then a mold,having a cavity in the shape of the polymer structures 2174, may beapplied to the moldable polymer material. The moldable polymer materialmay thus engage the interlock structures 2177 and take on the shape ofthe mold cavity.

As described above, the mobile devices described herein may usebatteries, such as lithium ion (e.g., lithium-ion polymer) batteries, toprovide power to the electrical systems of the device. Such batteriesmay include power-producing components (e.g., electrodes and anelectrolyte) contained inside a pouch. The pouch may be sealed orotherwise closed to enclose the one or more power-producing components.The pouch may include a metal portion, such as a metal foil layer.Accordingly, exposed edges of the pouch, such as where the pouch openinghas been closed, may pose a shorting risk within the device.

FIGS. 22A-22E illustrate example batteries in which edges of a pouchflap are covered and the flap is secured to the side of the battery,thereby helping to prevent or inhibit accidental shorts or other damagewithin the device due to exposed metal (e.g., conductive) material. FIG.22A shows an example battery 2200 (which may be an embodiment of thebattery 230 or any other battery described herein). The battery 2200includes a pouch 2202 in which the power-producing components may bepositioned. The pouch 2202 may include a flap 2204 that extends from amain portion of the battery 2200. The flap 2204 may correspond to theopening of the pouch 2202 through which the internal components of thebattery (e.g., electrodes and an electrolyte) are inserted into thepouch 2202. In order to cover the exposed edges of the pouch materialalong the flap 2204, a film 2206 (e.g., an adhesive tape) may be appliedto the flap 2204. The film 2206 may extend over the top and bottomsurfaces of the flap 2204 and around the free end of the flap 2204,thereby sealing the pouch closed (optionally in addition to an adhesivebetween the internal surfaces of the flap 2204) and covering the exposededges of the pouch material. The film 2206 may be a nonconductivematerial.

FIG. 22B shows the battery 2200 with the film 2206 applied to the flap2204. An adhesive may be applied to a surface 2210 of the film 2206and/or a side surface 2211 of the pouch 2202, and the flap 2204 may befolded up against the side surface 2211 of the pouch 2202 (as indicatedby arrows 2208). FIG. 22C shows the battery 2200 with the flap 2204folded against and adhered to the side surface 2211 of the pouch 2202.

FIG. 22D shows a partial cross-sectional view of the pouch 2202, viewedalong line 22D-22D in FIG. 22C. FIG. 22D shows an adhesive 2212 betweenthe flap 2204 and the pouch 2202 and adhering the flap 2204 to the pouch2202. In this case, the adhesive 2212 contacts the side surface of thepouch 2202 (e.g., contacting the material of the pouch) and a surface ofthe film 2206 that covers the flap 2204. (In some cases, the adhesive2212 does not contact the actual portion of the pouch material thatforms the flap 2204, and only contacts the film 2206, as shown in FIG.22D.)

FIG. 22E is a partial cross-sectional view of another example battery2220, showing a view similar to that in FIG. 22D. In this case, apolymer bead 2226 is applied along an edge of a flap 2224. The polymerbead 2226 may be an epoxy or other material that may be applied in aflowable state and then allowed to cure or otherwise harden on the edgeof the flap 2224. The polymer bead 2226 may cover the edge of the flap2224, but may extend along less than the full length 2223 of the sidesof the flap 2224. For example, the polymer bead 2226 may extend alongless than about 50%, less than about 40%, less than about 30%, less thanabout 20%, or less than about 10% of the length 2223 of the sides of theflap 2224. Because the polymer bead 2226 does not cover the entirety ofthe sides of the flap 2224 (and in particular of the side of the flap2224 facing the pouch 2222), the adhesive 2228 may contact the side ofthe pouch 2222 as well as the surface of the pouch material that formsthe flap 2224 (e.g., instead of contacting a film, tape, or other layerthat has been applied to the flap 2224). This may help reduce thedimensions of the battery and/or allow a larger internal pouch size forthe same outer dimension of the battery.

Further, in both the battery 2200 and the battery 2220, the flaps arenot folded or rolled multiple times. Accordingly, the flaps 2204, 2224may each be defined by two layers of the pouch material, rather than,for example four layers (which would be the case if the neck of thepouch were folded or rolled twice so that the edge of the flap doubledback and was facing and/or adjacent a fold region 2225). By avoiding themultiple folds or rolls, the outer dimensions of the batteries may beminimized or reduced.

FIG. 23A illustrates an example logic board 2300 (which is an example ofa circuit board assembly) that may be used in electronic devices asdescribed herein. The logic board 2300 may be an embodiment of any ofthe logic boards described herein, such as the logic boards 220, 320,420, 520. The logic board 2300 may include one or more substrates, andprocessors, memory, and other circuit elements coupled to thesubstrate(s). The logic board 2300 may include provisions for asubscriber identity module (SIM). The logic board 2300 may includeelectrical contacts and/or a SIM tray assembly for receiving a physicalSIM card and/or the logic board 2300 may include provisions for anelectronic SIM. The logic board 2300 may be wholly or partiallyencapsulated to reduce the chance of damage due to an ingress of wateror other fluid. The logic board 2300 may have a generally “L-shaped”configuration, in which a first portion 2360 extends along a first sideof a battery (e.g., the batteries 230, 330, 430, 530) and a secondportion 2361 extends along a second side of the battery. By extendingalong two sides of the battery, greater packing efficiency may beobtained and the logic board 2300 may be able to accommodate morecomponents than a simple rectangular logic board, for example.

The logic board 2300 may include multiple substrates (e.g., circuitboards) that are stacked and coupled together in order to maximize thearea available for electronic components and circuitry in a compact formfactor. For example, the logic board 2300 may include a first substrate2302 and a second substrate 2304 supported above the first substrate2302. The first and second substrates 2302, 2304 may also be referred toas circuit boards. Electrical components and/or circuit elements such asprocessors, memory, antenna circuitry, and the like, may be coupled tothe first and/or the second substrates 2302, 2304. For example, FIG. 23Ashows a memory module 2316 (e.g., a NAND memory device) coupled to anexterior top surface of the second substrate 2304 and another component2303 (e.g., a circuit element) coupled to the top surface of the firstsubstrate 2302, and FIG. 23B shows a processor 2332 coupled to the topsurface of the first substrate 2302. In some implementations, other ordifferent circuit elements are coupled to the top surfaces of the firstand/or second substrates.

The first and second substrates 2302, 2304 may be connected to oneanother via a wall structure 2308 (which supports the second substrate2304 above the first substrate 2302). As described herein the first andsecond substrates 2302, 2304 may be soldered to conductive members(e.g., vias) in the wall structure 2308, thereby allowing components onthe first and second substrates 2302, 2304 to be conductively coupled toone another via the wall structure 2308. For example, the memory module2316 (or any other component on the second substrate 2304) may beconductively coupled to the processor via the vias in the wall structure2308. The wall structure 2308 may also surround electrical components(e.g., a processor 2332, FIG. 23B) and, along with the first and secondsubstrates 2302, 2304, define a substantially enclosed and optionallysealed internal volume (e.g., 2321) in which the processor (and/or othercomponents) may be protected.

The first substrate 2302 may be soldered to the wall structure 2308using a first solder having a first melting temperature, while thesecond substrate 2304 may be soldered to the wall structure 2308 using asecond solder having a second melting temperature. For example, thesecond melting temperature may be lower than the first meltingtemperature (e.g., between about 20 degrees Celsius and about 30 degreesCelsius lower than the first melting temperature). In some cases, thefirst solder is a high-temperature solder, and the second solder is amedium-temperature solder.

The logic board 2300 may also include a shroud 2306, which may act as ashield (e.g., an EMI shield) and/or protective cover for the logic board2300. The shroud 2306 may also help maintain the physical connections ofboard-to-board connectors, which are used to interconnect components toor on the logic board 2300. For example, the shroud 2306 may be securedto the logic board 2300 in a manner that presses on the board-to-boardconnectors to prevent them from becoming disconnected. The shroud 2306may be attached to the logic board 2300 via screws or other fasteners.

The logic board 2300 may also include or be coupled to a flexiblecircuit element 2310, which may conductively couple an antenna module(e.g., the antenna array 926 of the side-fired antenna 734) toelectrical components attached to the logic board 2300. The flexiblecircuit element 2310 may include an electrical connector 2341 (which maycorrespond to or be an embodiment of the electrical connector 940, FIG.9B), which may connect with a corresponding electrical connector of theantenna array 926. The flexible circuit element 2310 may also include agrounding and attachment lug 2340, which may correspond to or be anembodiment of the grounding and attachment lug 938, FIG. 9B).

A front-fired antenna array (e.g., the antenna array of the front-firedantenna 730 or any other front-fired antenna system described herein)may be conductively coupled to the logic board 2300 via an electricalconnector 2305. More particularly, the electrical connector 2305 mayconnect with a corresponding electrical connector on a flexible circuitelement to which the front-fired antenna array is coupled (e.g., thecircuit board 740, FIGS. 7 and 10A).

The electrical connector 2305 may be coupled to the first substrate 2302in an area of the first substrate 2302 that is not enclosed orsurrounded by the wall structure 2308 or covered by the second substrate2304. The front- and side-fired antenna arrays that are coupled to thelogic board 2300 via the connectors 2305, 2341, may be millimeter-waveantenna arrays. Further, the rear-fired antenna array 2363 (FIG. 23C)coupled to the bottom side of the first substrate 2302 may also be amillimeter-wave antenna array.

The logic board 2300 may also include one or more films, foils,coatings, platings, layers, or other materials or components thatprovide EMI shielding functionality. For example, a metallic film (e.g.,a conductive film with an adhesive) may be applied to the shroud 2306and/or any other shrouds or surfaces of the logic board 2300. Themetallic film may include a nickel-iron ferromagnetic alloy, or anyother suitable metal or conductive material. The metallic film may havea thickness between about 5 microns to about 20 microns, and maycomprise a substrate layer (e.g., a polymer and/or adhesive layer) and ametallic layer laminated with the substrate layer. The metallic layermay be a different metal or composition than the shroud 2306, which maybe stainless steel. The substrate layer of the metallic film may be ormay include a conductive adhesive to conductively couple the metalliclayer to the shroud 2306.

As another example, the shroud 2306 (and/or other shrouds of the logicboard 2300) may be plated with a metallic plating. The plated shroud2306 may therefore include a metal substrate (e.g., the shroudstructure, which may be stainless steel) plated with a metal plating,where the plating may be a different metal or composition than the metalsubstrate. The metal substrate may have a thickness between about 150microns and about 250 microns, and the metal plating may have athickness between about 1 micron to about 5 microns. The metallic filmand the metallic plating described above may increase the effectivenessof the EMI shielding of the shroud 2306, as compared to a shroud withoutthe metallic film or metallic plating.

FIG. 23B shows an exploded view if the logic board 2300. As noted above,the first substrate 2302 may include conductive pads 2328 which may besoldered to corresponding conductive components (e.g., vias) in the wallstructure 2308. For example, the conductive components may be at leastpartially encapsulated in a matrix material of the wall structure (e.g.,a polymer, fiber-reinforced composite, etc.). The second substrate 2304may also include conductive pads, like the conductive pads 2328, thatare soldered to the conductive components in the wall structure 2308.The conductive path through the conductive pads and the wall structure2308 may allow electrical interconnection between components such as thememory module 2316 and the processor 2332.

The processor 2332 may be soldered to the first substrate 2302. In somecases, a curable adhesive (e.g., an epoxy) or other curable material maybe introduced between the processor 2332 and the top surface of thefirst substrate 2302 after the processor 2332 is soldered to the firstsubstrate 2302. The curable material may be configured to cure (e.g.,harden) to reinforce the solder joints between the processor 2332 andthe first substrate 2302, and optionally to bond to both the processor2332 and the first substrate 2302 (and thereby bonding the processor2332 and the first substrate 2302 to one another). In order to retainthe curable material in place, and prevent it from flowing or wickingalong to other areas of the logic board 2300 where the curable materialis not intended to be, a barrier 2330 (or dam) may be applied to the topsurface of the first substrate 2302. The barrier 2330 may extendpartially or fully around the processor 2332, such that when the curablematerial is flowed into the area between the first substrate 2302 andthe processor 2332, it is prevented from flowing outside of the barrier2330. As shown, the barrier 2330 extends along three out of four sidesof the processor 2332. In other cases, the barrier extends along one,two, or four sides of the processor 2332.

The barrier 2330 may be a bead of solder that is deposited on the firstsubstrate 2302. The barrier 2330 may have a height between about 0.05 mmto about 0.07 mm, and may be set apart from the sides of the processor2332 by a distance between about 0.10 mm to 0.15 mm. The barrier 2330may have a width between about 0.15 mm and 0.20 mm. In some cases, aninner surface of the wall structure may be set apart from a side of theprocessor 2332 by a distance between about 0.2 mm and about 0.4 mm, or adistance between about 0.25 mm and about 0.35 mm.

The barrier 2330 may be applied after the wall structure 2308 isattached to the first substrate 2302, and may abut or contact the wallstructure 2308. By forming the barrier 2330 from a bead of solder, thewall structure 2308 may be positioned closer to the barrier 2330 thanmight be possible if other components (e.g., sacrificial ornon-functional electrical components) were used to define a barrier ordam-type structure. Accordingly, using the solder bead for the barrier2330 may allow the first substrate 2302 (and the logic board 2300 moregenerally) to be smaller (at least relative to logic boards with otherdam or barrier configurations).

In some cases, a curable material may be introduced between the wallstructure 2308 and the top surface of the first substrate 2302, andbetween the wall structure 2308 and the bottom surface of the secondsubstrate 2304. The curable material may be used to reinforce the solderjoints between the wall structure 2308 and the first and secondsubstrates 2302, 2304. To assist in the introduction of the curablematerial into the space between the wall structure 2308 and the surfacesof the first and second substrates 2302, 2304 to which the wallstructure 2308 is soldered, the logic board 2300 may include features tofacilitate the deposition, injection, and/or introduction of the curablematerial into the space between the substrates and the wall structure.For example, the second substrate 2304 may include a cutout region 2311that exposes at least part of the top surface 2313 of the wall structure2308. As another example, the wall structure 2308 may include a ledgefeature 2309 that is exposed even after the second substrate 2304 issoldered or otherwise secured to the wall structure 2308. After thesecond substrate 2304 is soldered to the wall structure 2308, a curablematerial may be introduced into the gap between the surface 2313 of thewall structure 2308 and the bottom surface of the second substrate 2304by placing the curable material on the surface 2313 in the area of therecess 2311, and/or on the ledge 2309. The curable material, which maybe in a flowable state, may be wicked or otherwise drawn into the gapbetween the second substrate 2304 and the wall structure 2308 (e.g., viacapillary action), thereby delivering the curable material to the targetlocations and/or positions between the components. The curable materialmay flow around solder joints and into gaps between discrete solderjoints along the wall-substrate interface. The curable material may thenbe allowed to cure (e.g., harden), thereby reinforcing the solder jointsand adhering the second substrate 2304 to the wall structure 2308.

While FIG. 23B shows one example of each type of feature, it will beunderstood that a logic board may include multiple instances of thesefeatures, including combinations of recesses and ledges, to facilitatethe introduction of the curable material into the desired locations.Further, FIG. 23B shows features positioned to facilitate introduction(e.g., via wicking) of the curable material into a space between thewall structure 2308 and the second substrate 2304, though it will beunderstood that the same or similar features may be implemented on thefirst substrate 2302 or otherwise configured to facilitate wicking ofthe curable material into the gap between the top surface of the firstsubstrate 2302 and the bottom surface of the wall structure 2308.

The flexible circuit element 2310 may be soldered to a bottom surface ofthe first substrate 2302. In particular, the flexible circuit element2310 may include an attachment portion 2334 with a plurality of solderpoints or vias (e.g., vias 2336) that are soldered to correspondingsolder pads on the bottom of the first substrate 2302 (e.g., solder pads2345, FIG. 23C). The flexible circuit element 2310 may include a liquidcrystal polymer substrate, and the vias (e.g., the vias 2336) may besolid metal (e.g., copper). By providing solid metal vias, the physicalconnection between the vias and the logic board may be stronger thanwith other types of conductive vias. Adhesive 2338 may also be used tobond the flexible circuit element 2310 to the bottom surface of thefirst substrate 2302. By using the adhesive 2338, the physical couplingbetween the flexible circuit element 2310 and the first substrate 2302may be stronger than with the solder alone.

The logic board 2300 may be coupled to another component of a device viaone or more fasteners, such as screws. Due in part to the relativeimportance of the logic board to the operation of the device, it isadvantageous to provide high strength connections to ensure that thelogic board 2300 remains structurally coupled to the device even throughdrops or other potentially damaging events. In some areas of the logicboard 2300, fasteners, such as screws, may extend through holes in thefirst and/or the second substrates 2302, 2304 and be secured to anothercomponent of the device (e.g., a housing or enclosure structure, aframe, etc.). In some cases, the logic board 2300 may include anattachment feature 2320 that is securely attached to the logic board2300 and includes an attachment tab 2322 with a hole 2324 to accept afastener (e.g., a screw) to secure the logic board 2300 to the device.

FIG. 23C shows the bottom surface of the logic board 2300. As shown, theattachment feature 2320 includes a mounting portion 2318 that isattached to the bottom surface of the logic board 2300. For example, theattachment feature 2320 may be soldered to the bottom surface of thefirst substrate 2302. In some cases, the entire area of the mountingportion 2318 (e.g., the triangular portion of the attachment feature2320) may be soldered to a metal portion on the bottom surface of thelogic board 2300. The attachment feature 2320 may also be secured to thefirst substrate 2302 via a fastener assembly, which includes a socketportion 2342.

FIG. 23D is a partial cross-sectional view of the logic board 2300,viewed along line 23D-23D in FIG. 23A, illustrating a fastener assemblythat is configured to secure the attachment feature 2320 to the logicboard 2300, as well as help retain the first and second substrates ofthe logic board 2300 together, and providing an attachment feature forthe shroud 2306. For example, a socket portion 2342 may extend through ahole in the mounting portion 2318 of the attachment feature and througha hole in the first substrate 2302. A bolt portion 2314 may extendthrough a hole in the second substrate 2304. The socket portion 2342 maydefine a flange portion 2350 that contacts the mounting portion 2318(and is optionally soldered, adhered, welded, or otherwise attached tothe mounting portion 2318), and the bolt portion 2314 may define aflange portion 2353 that contacts the second substrate 2304. The boltportion 2314 may be threaded into a threaded hole 2352 of the socketportion 2342, thereby clamping the first and second substrates 2302,2304 and the mounting portion 2318 between the flange portions 2350,2353. As shown in FIG. 23D, an intermediate structure 2348 may bepositioned between the first and second substrates 2302, 2304. Theintermediate structure 2348 may be a portion of the wall structure 2308,or it may be a separate component such as a spacer, washer, ferrule, orthe like. In some cases, the socket portion 2342 and the bolt portion2314 may be configured to seat or bottom-out against one another (e.g.,to define a predetermined distance between the flange portions 2353 and2350 when the socket and bolt portions are fully threaded together) tomitigate the possibility of over-tightening the fastener assembly, whichcould crush or otherwise damage the substrates 2302, 2304 and/or theintermediate structure 2348.

As shown in FIG. 23D, the bolt portion 2314 may also define a hole 2354(e.g., a threaded hole) that is configured to receive screw 2312. Thescrew 2312 may be configured to clamp the shroud 2306 between a surfaceof the screw 2312 and a surface of the bolt portion 2314.

With reference to FIG. 23C, the logic board 2300 may also include astiffener or reinforcement plate 2346 attached to the bottom surface ofthe first substrate 2302. The stiffener plate 2346 may be attached tothe first substrate 2302 via an adhesive, solder, fasteners, and/orother suitable attachment techniques. The stiffener plate 2346 may beformed from metal, carbon fiber, a polymer, or any other suitablematerial. The stiffener plate 2346 may reinforce the first substrate2302 (and the attachment region 2344 more specifically) to increase theoverall stiffness of the first substrate 2302. For example, twisting orother distortion of the first substrate 2302 in the vicinity of theattachment region 2344 may result in the solder joints between the firstsubstrate 2302 and the flexible circuit element 2310 breaking. Thestiffener plate 2346 may increase the resistance of the first substrate2302 to flexing, twisting, or other distortions or deformations, therebyimproving the durability and/or reliability of the conductive couplingbetween the flexible circuit element 2310 and the first substrate 2302.

The stiffener plate 2346 may define an opening 2347 that exposes anattachment region 2344 where the flexible circuit element 2310 isattached to the first substrate 2302. The opening 2347 may extend aroundthe outer periphery of the attachment region 2344 (e.g., along foursides of the attachment region 2344). As noted above, solder pads 2345may be positioned in the attachment region 2344 to facilitate aconductive coupling with the flexible circuit element 2310. The logicboard 2300 may also include a rear-fired antenna array 2363, which maybe conductively coupled to the first substrate 2302 via one or moresolder connections as well. The rear-fired antenna array 2363 maycorrespond to the rear-fired antenna array 732, or any other rear-firedantenna array described herein.

FIG. 23E is a partial cross-sectional view of the logic board 2300,viewed along line 23E-23E in FIG. 23A, illustrating the interfacesbetween the first and second substrates 2302, 2304 and the wallstructure 2308. As noted above, the wall structure 2308 may includeconductive vias, such as the conductive via 2355, within a matrixmaterial 2357. The matrix material may be a polymer, fiber-reinforcedpolymer, or the like, and the conductive via 2355 may be a metal, suchas copper, gold, or any other suitable conductor. The first substrate2302 may include solder pads, such as the solder pad 2362, and thesecond substrate may include solder pads, such as the solder pad 2361.The solder pads 2361, 2362 may be conductively coupled to othercomponents that are attached to the first and second substrates 2302,2304, such as a processor, memory module, or any other suitablecomponent. The conductive via 2355 may be soldered to the solder pad2362 via a first solder material 2359 having a first meltingtemperature, and to the solder pad 2361 via a second solder material2358 having a second melting temperature that is lower than the firstmelting temperature. For example, the second melting temperature may bebetween about 20 degrees Celsius and about 30 degrees Celsius lower thanthe first melting temperature. In some cases, the first solder material2359 is a high-temperature solder, and the second solder material 2358is a medium-temperature solder. The first solder material and the secondsolder material may both exhibit a ductile failure mode (as opposed to abrittle failure mode) at strain rates of about 100 s⁻¹. For example,when subjected to strain rates of about 100 s⁻¹, both the first soldermaterial and the second solder material may exhibit plastic deformationafter a yield point, such that a stress-strain curve for the first andsecond solder materials includes at least one region, after a yieldpoint, of at least relatively constant stress across an increasing rangeof strains.

As noted above, a curable material 2369 may be introduced between thewall structure 2308 and the top surface of the first substrate 2302, anda curable material 2356 may be introduced between the wall structure2308 and the bottom surface of the second substrate 2304. As shown, thecurable materials 2360, 2356 may flow or otherwise extend around thesolder materials 2358, 2359, and may adhere to the surfaces of the wallstructure 2308 and substrates 2302, 2304. The curable materials 2360,2356 may be the same or different materials, and may be an epoxy,adhesive, or other curable material.

FIG. 23F is a partial cross-sectional view of the logic board 2300,viewed along line 23F-23F in FIG. 23B. FIG. 23F illustrates an exampleconfiguration of the barrier 2330 or dam that is positioned on the firstsubstrate 2302 and extending at least partially around an outerperiphery of a circuit element such as the processor 2332. As notedabove, the barrier 2330 may be formed of a solder material, such as ahigh-temperature solder. The barrier 2330 may have a height (e.g., alongthe vertical direction as shown in FIG. 23F) between about 0.05 mm andabout 0.07 mm. In some cases, the barrier 2230 has a height betweenabout 0.04 mm and about 0.1 mm.

In some cases, the wall structure 2308 contacts a side of the barrier2330. For example, the barrier 2330 may be deposited onto the firstsubstrate 2302 after the wall structure 2308 is attached to the firstsubstrate 2302, and the barrier 2330 may abut or flow against the wallstructure 2308. An inner surface 2364 of the wall structure 2308 may beset apart from a side of the circuit element (e.g., the processor 2332)by a distance between about 0.2 mm and 0.4 mm. In some cases, the innersurface 2364 of the wall structure 2308 is set apart from a side of thecircuit element (e.g., the processor 2332) by a distance less than about1.0 mm.

The barrier 2330 may be configured to limit a spread of a liquidadhesive along the first substrate 2302. For example, a curable liquidadhesive (e.g., an epoxy) may be flowed between the circuit element(e.g., the processor 2332) and the surface of the first substrate 2302.Once cured, the adhesive may reinforce the solder joints between thecircuit element and the first substrate 2302, and may increase thestrength of the mechanical attachment between the circuit element andthe first substrate 2302. The barrier 2330 is configured to limit aspread of a liquid adhesive along the first circuit board as it isflowed between the circuit element and the surface of the firstsubstrate 2302. For example, the barrier 2330 may help contain theliquid adhesive below the circuit element, such that it does not flowaway and become too thin or distributed to successfully reinforce thesolder joints, and also help prevent the liquid adhesive from flowingonto surfaces or components that are not intended to be contacted by theadhesive.

The logic board 2300 in FIGS. 23A-23B illustrates one example techniquefor forming a multi-level component, where some electrical components(e.g., the memory module 2316) is positioned on a substrate above otherelectrical components (e.g., the processor 2332). This configuration mayhelp reduce the footprint of the logic board 2300 by stacking componentsrather than requiring them to be positioned next to each other on thesame substrate. FIGS. 24A-24C illustrate other example structureswhereby components may be stacked to help reduce the overall footprintof a logic board or circuit board, and/or to otherwise simplify orimprove the operation or manufacturing of the device.

FIG. 24A, for example, shows an exploded view of a portion of a logicboard, showing an example lofting or two-level configuration forelectrical components. In particular, FIG. 24A shows a first substrate2400 (e.g., a circuit board) with a processor 2401 positioned on thesurface of the first substrate 2400. The processor 2401 may be anembodiment of the processor 2332, and the first substrate 2400 may be anembodiment of the first substrate 2302. A frame member 2407 may beattached to the first substrate 2400 and may extend around a perimeterof the processor 2401 (e.g., side walls of the frame member may extendaround a perimeter of the processor 2401). The frame member 2407 may besoldered to the first substrate 2400, and may include vias or otherconductive paths to conductively couple the frame member 2407 and anycircuit boards and/or electrical components (e.g., a memory module 2409)to the first substrate 2400.

A second substrate 2408 may be attached to the frame member 2407. Forexample, the second substrate 2408 may be soldered to the frame member2407. The solder connections between the frame member 2407 and the firstand second substrates 2400, 2408 may structurally and conductivelycouple the frame member 2407 and the first and second substrates 2400,2408 together. In some cases, after the frame member 2407 is attached tothe first substrate 2400 and before the second substrate 2408 isattached to the frame member 2407, a thermal paste, gel, or othermaterial may be applied to the processor 2401 to aid in conducting heataway from the processor 2401. In such cases, the thermal material may bedispensed through the opening in the frame member 2407.

The frame member 2407 and the first and second substrates 2400, 2408 maydefine a physical and EMI shield around the processor 2401. For example,the conductive materials (e.g., vias, traces, etc.) in the first andsecond substrates 2400, 2408, as well as the metal material of the framemember 2407, may be conductively coupled together, thereby forming astructure that can prevent or inhibit the passage of electromagneticsignals or other interference either from or to the processor 2401 (orany electrical component(s) within the area defined by the frame member2407 and the first and second substrates 2400, 2408.

FIG. 24B illustrates another example configuration of a multi-levelcircuit element arrangement. In particular, FIG. 24B shows a firstsubstrate 2410 (e.g., a circuit board) with a processor 2411 positionedon the surface of the first substrate 2410. The processor 2411 may be anembodiment of the processor 2332, and the first substrate 2410 may be anembodiment of the first substrate 2402. A shield member 2412 may beattached to the first substrate 2410 and may extend around a perimeterof the processor 2411 and over a top of the processor 2411 (e.g., theshield member 2412 defines side walls and a top wall that substantiallyenclose the processor 2411). The shield member 2412 may be soldered orotherwise secured to the first substrate 2410 (e.g., via fasteners,adhesives, etc.). The shield member 2412 may be formed of or includemetal or another conductive material, thereby providing EMI shieldingproperties.

A second substrate 2418, such as a flexible circuit board, may have amemory module 2419 conductively coupled thereto, and the secondsubstrate 2418 may be attached to the top wall of the shield member2412. For example, the second substrate 2418 may be adhered to the topof the shield member 2412 via an adhesive 2413 (which may be aconductive adhesive). The second substrate 2418 may also include aconnector 2416, which may conductively couple the memory module 2419 (orany electrical component on the second substrate 2418) to the firstsubstrate 2410 and thereby to any of the electrical components on thefirst substrate 2410 (e.g., the processor 2411). Because the secondsubstrate 2418 includes the connector 2416, the shield member 2412 doesnot need to provide vias, traces, or other conductive paths toconductively couple the electrical components of the first and secondsubstrates 2410, 2418 (though such conductive paths may be provided ifdesired, and the second substrate 2418 may be conductively coupled tothe shield member 2412 via a conductive adhesive 2413 such as to providea common electrical ground between the shield member 2412 and conductivematerials in the second substrate 2418).

As noted above, a thermal gel, paste, or other material may be appliedto the processor 2411 to aid in conducting heat away from the processor2411. However, thermal gels, pastes, or other materials may be sensitiveto heat (e.g., it may degrade the material, cause it to flow away fromits intended location, or the like). Because the shield member 2412 doesnot have an opening in the top wall, the thermal material may bedispensed onto the processor 2411 prior to the shield member 2412 beingattached to the first substrate 2410. Accordingly, the shield member2412 may be secured to the first substrate 2410 using a medium or lowtemperature solder operation, thereby helping to limit the amount ofheat that the thermal gel is exposed to. Additionally, because thesecond substrate 2418 is attached via an adhesive, there is noadditional soldering operation required to secure the second substrate2418 to the shield member 2412, thereby further limiting the exposure ofthe thermal gel to heat.

FIG. 24C illustrates another example configuration of a multi-levelcircuit element arrangement. In particular, FIG. 24C shows a firstsubstrate 2420 (e.g., a circuit board) with a processor 2421 positionedon the surface of the first substrate 2420. The processor 2421 may be anembodiment of the processor 2332, and the first substrate 2420 may be anembodiment of the first substrate 2402. A frame member 2422 may beattached to the first substrate 2420 and may extend around a perimeterof the processor 2421. The frame member 2422 may be similar to theshield member 2412, except that the frame member 2422 may define anopening along the top of the frame member 2422 (e.g., similar to theconfiguration in FIG. 24A). The frame member 2422 may be soldered orotherwise secured to the first substrate 2420 (e.g., via fasteners,adhesives, etc.). The opening along the top of the frame member 2422 mayallow a curable material to be introduced between the processor 2421 andthe first substrate 2420 (as described above with respect to FIG. 23B)after the frame member 2422 is attached to the first substrate 2420.

A second substrate 2428, such as a flexible circuit board, may have amemory module 2429 conductively coupled thereto, and the secondsubstrate 2428 may be attached to the top wall of the frame member 2422.For example, the second substrate 2428 may be adhered to the top of theframe member 2422 via an adhesive (which may be a conductive adhesive),by soldering, with fasteners, or the like. The second substrate 2428 mayalso include a connector 2426, which may conductively couple the memorymodule 2429 (or any electrical component on the second substrate 2428)to the first substrate 2420 and thereby to any of the electricalcomponents on the first substrate 2420 (e.g., the processor 2421).Because the second substrate 2428 includes the connector 2426, the framemember 2422 does not need to provide vias, traces, or other conductivepaths to conductively couple the electrical components of the first andsecond substrates 2420, 2428. In some cases, however, the frame member2422, which may be formed of or include metal or another conductivematerial, may conductively couple to conductive materials in the secondsubstrate 2428 so that the frame member 2422 and the second substrate2428 can cooperate to provide EMI shielding functionality. For example,the frame member 2422 may be conductively coupled to the secondsubstrate 2428 (e.g., via solder, conductive adhesive, etc.) to providea common electrical ground to the frame member 2422 and the secondsubstrate 2428, thereby facilitating EMI shielding functionality.

As noted above, a thermal gel, paste, or other material may be appliedto the processor 2421 to aid in conducting heat away from the processor2421. Because the frame member 2422 has an opening in the top wall, thethermal material may be dispensed onto the processor 2421 after theframe member 2422 is attached to the first substrate 2420.

In some cases, the height of a top surface 2430 of the frame member2422, when the frame member 2422 and the processor 2421 are attached tothe first substrate 2420, is substantially flush with or recessedrelative to a top surface 2431 of the processor 2421. In such cases, thebottom surface of the second substrate 2428 may be in contact with oronly a small distance (e.g., around 50 microns, around 100 microns, orthe like) above the top surface 2431 of the processor 2421. In caseswhere the top surface 2430 is recessed relative to (e.g., below) the topsurface 2431 of the processor 2421, an adhesive on the top surface 2430may adhere the second substrate 2428 to the frame member 2422, and alsoincrease the effective height of the frame member 2422 such that thebottom surface of the second substrate 2428 is contacting or above thetop surface 2431 of the processor 2421 (despite the top surface 2430being recessed relative to the top surface 2431 of the processor 2421).

While FIGS. 24A-24C illustrate a processor and a memory module, theseare merely example electrical components that may be coupled to a logicboard using the configurations shown. In other cases, the position ofthe processor and the memory module may be reversed, and/or other typesof electrical component(s) may be used, such as integrated circuits,ASICs, analog chips, or any other suitable electrical component.

FIG. 25 depicts an example schematic diagram of an electronic device2500. The electronic device 2500 may be an embodiment of or otherwiserepresent the device 100 (or other devices described herein, such as thedevices 140, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, or the like). The device 2500includes one or more processing units 2501 that are configured to accessa memory 2502 having instructions stored thereon. The instructions orcomputer programs may be configured to perform one or more of theoperations or functions described with respect to the electronic devicesdescribed herein. For example, the instructions may be configured tocontrol or coordinate the operation of one or more displays 2508, one ormore touch sensors 2503, one or more force sensors 2505, one or morecommunication channels 2504, one or more audio input systems 2509, oneor more audio output systems 2510, one or more positioning systems 2511,one or more sensors 2512, and/or one or more haptic feedback devices2506.

The processing units 2501 of FIG. 25 may be implemented as anyelectronic device capable of processing, receiving, or transmitting dataor instructions. For example, the processing units 2501 may include oneor more of: a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), anapplication-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signalprocessor (DSP), or combinations of such devices. As described herein,the term “processor” is meant to encompass a single processor orprocessing unit, multiple processors, multiple processing units, orother suitably configured computing element or elements. The processingunits 2501 may be coupled to a logic board, such as the logic boards220, 320, 420, 520, of FIG. 2-5 , or 2300 of FIGS. 23A-23C.

The memory 2502 can store electronic data that can be used by the device2500. For example, a memory can store electrical data or content suchas, for example, audio and video files, images, documents andapplications, device settings and user preferences, programs,instructions, timing and control signals or data for the variousmodules, data structures or databases, and so on. The memory 2502 can beconfigured as any type of memory. By way of example only, the memory canbe implemented as random access memory, read-only memory, Flash memory,removable memory, or other types of storage elements, or combinations ofsuch devices. The memory 2502 may be coupled to a logic board, such asthe logic boards 220, 320, 420, 520, of FIG. 2-5 , or 2300 of FIGS.23A-23C.

The touch sensors 2503 may detect various types of touch-based inputsand generate signals or data that are able to be accessed usingprocessor instructions. The touch sensors 2503 may use any suitablecomponents and may rely on any suitable phenomena to detect physicalinputs. For example, the touch sensors 2503 may be capacitive touchsensors, resistive touch sensors, acoustic wave sensors, or the like.The touch sensors 2503 may include any suitable components for detectingtouch-based inputs and generating signals or data that are able to beaccessed using processor instructions, including electrodes (e.g.,electrode layers), physical components (e.g., substrates, spacinglayers, structural supports, compressible elements, etc.) processors,circuitry, firmware, and the like. The touch sensors 2503 may beintegrated with or otherwise configured to detect touch inputs appliedto any portion of the device 2500. For example, the touch sensors 2503may be configured to detect touch inputs applied to any portion of thedevice 2500 that includes a display (and may be integrated with adisplay). The touch sensors 2503 may operate in conjunction with theforce sensors 2505 to generate signals or data in response to touchinputs. A touch sensor or force sensor that is positioned over a displaysurface or otherwise integrated with a display may be referred to hereinas a touch-sensitive display, force-sensitive display, or touchscreen.

The force sensors 2505 may detect various types of force-based inputsand generate signals or data that are able to be accessed usingprocessor instructions. The force sensors 2505 may use any suitablecomponents and may rely on any suitable phenomena to detect physicalinputs. For example, the force sensors 2505 may be strain-based sensors,piezoelectric-based sensors, piezoresistive-based sensors, capacitivesensors, resistive sensors, or the like. The force sensors 2505 mayinclude any suitable components for detecting force-based inputs andgenerating signals or data that are able to be accessed using processorinstructions, including electrodes (e.g., electrode layers), physicalcomponents (e.g., substrates, spacing layers, structural supports,compressible elements, etc.) processors, circuitry, firmware, and thelike. The force sensors 2505 may be used in conjunction with variousinput mechanisms to detect various types of inputs. For example, theforce sensors 2505 may be used to detect presses or other force inputsthat satisfy a force threshold (which may represent a more forcefulinput than is typical for a standard “touch” input) Like the touchsensors 2503, the force sensors 2505 may be integrated with or otherwiseconfigured to detect force inputs applied to any portion of the device2500. For example, the force sensors 2505 may be configured to detectforce inputs applied to any portion of the device 2500 that includes adisplay (and may be integrated with a display). The force sensors 2505may operate in conjunction with the touch sensors 2503 to generatesignals or data in response to touch- and/or force-based inputs.

The device 2500 may also include one or more haptic devices 2506 (e.g.,the haptic actuator 222, 322, 422, 522 of FIG. 2-5 or 1804, 1900, 1920of FIGS. 18-19B). The haptic device 2506 may include one or more of avariety of haptic technologies such as, but not necessarily limited to,rotational haptic devices, linear actuators, piezoelectric devices,vibration elements, and so on. In general, the haptic device 2506 may beconfigured to provide punctuated and distinct feedback to a user of thedevice. More particularly, the haptic device 2506 may be adapted toproduce a knock or tap sensation and/or a vibration sensation. Suchhaptic outputs may be provided in response to detection of touch and/orforce inputs, and may be imparted to a user through the exterior surfaceof the device 2500 (e.g., via a glass or other surface that acts as atouch- and/or force-sensitive display or surface).

The one or more communication channels 2504 may include one or morewireless interface(s) that are adapted to provide communication betweenthe processing unit(s) 2501 and an external device. The one or morecommunication channels 2504 may include antennas (e.g., antennas thatinclude or use the housing members of the housing 104 as radiatingmembers), communications circuitry, firmware, software, or any othercomponents or systems that facilitate wireless communications with otherdevices. In general, the one or more communication channels 2504 may beconfigured to transmit and receive data and/or signals that may beinterpreted by instructions executed on the processing units 2501. Insome cases, the external device is part of an external communicationnetwork that is configured to exchange data with wireless devices.Generally, the wireless interface may communicate via, withoutlimitation, radio frequency, optical, acoustic, and/or magnetic signalsand may be configured to operate over a wireless interface or protocol.Example wireless interfaces include radio frequency cellular interfaces(e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, 4G long-term evolution (LTE), 5G, GSM, CDMA, or thelike), fiber optic interfaces, acoustic interfaces, Bluetoothinterfaces, infrared interfaces, USB interfaces, Wi-Fi interfaces,TCP/IP interfaces, network communications interfaces, or anyconventional communication interfaces. The one or more communicationschannels 2504 may also include ultra-wideband interfaces, which mayinclude any appropriate communications circuitry, instructions, andnumber and position of suitable UWB antennas.

As shown in FIG. 25 , the device 2500 may include a battery 2507 that isused to store and provide power to the other components of the device2500. The battery 2507 may be a rechargeable power supply that isconfigured to provide power to the device 2500. The battery 2507 may becoupled to charging systems (e.g., wired and/or wireless chargingsystems) and/or other circuitry to control the electrical power providedto the battery 2507 and to control the electrical power provided fromthe battery 2507 to the device 2500.

The device 2500 may also include one or more displays 2508 configured todisplay graphical outputs. The displays 2508 may use any suitabledisplay technology, including liquid crystal displays (LCD), organiclight emitting diodes (OLED), active-matrix organic light-emitting diodedisplays (AMOLED), or the like. The displays 2508 may display graphicaluser interfaces, images, icons, or any other suitable graphical outputs.The display 2508 may correspond to a display 203, 303, 403, 503 of FIGS.2-5 .

The device 2500 may also provide audio input functionality via one ormore audio input systems 2509. The audio input systems 2509 may includemicrophones, transducers, or other devices that capture sound for voicecalls, video calls, audio recordings, video recordings, voice commands,and the like.

The device 2500 may also provide audio output functionality via one ormore audio output systems (e.g., speakers) 2510, such as the speakersystems 224, 324, 424, 524 of FIGS. 2-5 . The audio output systems 2510may produce sound from voice calls, video calls, streaming or localaudio content, streaming or local video content, or the like.

The device 2500 may also include a positioning system 2511. Thepositioning system 2511 may be configured to determine the location ofthe device 2500. For example, the positioning system 2511 may includemagnetometers, gyroscopes, accelerometers, optical sensors, cameras,global positioning system (GPS) receivers, inertial positioning systems,or the like. The positioning system 2511 may be used to determinespatial parameters of the device 2500, such as the location of thedevice 2500 (e.g., geographical coordinates of the device), measurementsor estimates of physical movement of the device 2500, an orientation ofthe device 2500, or the like.

The device 2500 may also include one or more additional sensors 2512 toreceive inputs (e.g., from a user or another computer, device, system,network, etc.) or to detect any suitable property or parameter of thedevice, the environment surrounding the device, people or thingsinteracting with the device (or nearby the device), or the like. Forexample, a device may include temperature sensors, biometric sensors(e.g., fingerprint sensors, photoplethysmographs, blood-oxygen sensors,blood sugar sensors, or the like), eye-tracking sensors, retinalscanners, humidity sensors, buttons, switches, lid-closure sensors, orthe like.

To the extent that multiple functionalities, operations, and structuresdescribed with reference to FIG. 25 are disclosed as being part of,incorporated into, or performed by the device 2500, it should beunderstood that various embodiments may omit any or all such describedfunctionalities, operations, and structures. Thus, different embodimentsof the device 2500 may have some, none, or all of the variouscapabilities, apparatuses, physical features, modes, and operatingparameters discussed herein. Further, the systems included in the device2500 are not exclusive, and the device 2500 may include alternative oradditional systems, components, modules, programs, instructions, or thelike, that may be necessary or useful to perform the functions describedherein.

As described above, one aspect of the present technology is thegathering and use of data available from various sources to improve theusefulness and functionality of devices such as mobile phones. Thepresent disclosure contemplates that in some instances, this gathereddata may include personal information data that uniquely identifies orcan be used to contact or locate a specific person. Such personalinformation data can include demographic data, location-based data,telephone numbers, email addresses, twitter ID's, home addresses, dataor records relating to a user's health or level of fitness (e.g., vitalsigns measurements, medication information, exercise information), dateof birth, or any other identifying or personal information.

The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personalinformation data, in the present technology, can be used to the benefitof users. For example, the personal information data can be used tolocate devices, deliver targeted content that is of greater interest tothe user, or the like. Further, other uses for personal information datathat benefit the user are also contemplated by the present disclosure.For instance, health and fitness data may be used to provide insightsinto a user's general wellness, or may be used as positive feedback toindividuals using technology to pursue wellness goals.

The present disclosure contemplates that the entities responsible forthe collection, analysis, disclosure, transfer, storage, or other use ofsuch personal information data will comply with well-established privacypolicies and/or privacy practices. In particular, such entities shouldimplement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that aregenerally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmentalrequirements for maintaining personal information data private andsecure. Such policies should be easily accessible by users, and shouldbe updated as the collection and/or use of data changes. Personalinformation from users should be collected for legitimate and reasonableuses of the entity and not shared or sold outside of those legitimateuses. Further, such collection/sharing should occur after receiving theinformed consent of the users. Additionally, such entities shouldconsider taking any needed steps for safeguarding and securing access tosuch personal information data and ensuring that others with access tothe personal information data adhere to their privacy policies andprocedures. Further, such entities can subject themselves to evaluationby third parties to certify their adherence to widely accepted privacypolicies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should beadapted for the particular types of personal information data beingcollected and/or accessed and adapted to applicable laws and standards,including jurisdiction-specific considerations. For instance, in the US,collection of or access to certain health data may be governed byfederal and/or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability andAccountability Act (HIPAA); whereas health data in other countries maybe subject to other regulations and policies and should be handledaccordingly. Hence different privacy practices should be maintained fordifferent personal data types in each country.

Despite the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplatesembodiments in which users selectively block the use of, or access to,personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplatesthat hardware and/or software elements can be provided to prevent orblock access to such personal information data. For example, in the caseof advertisement delivery services, the present technology can beconfigured to allow users to select to “opt in” or “opt out” ofparticipation in the collection of personal information data duringregistration for services or anytime thereafter. In addition toproviding “opt in” and “opt out” options, the present disclosurecontemplates providing notifications relating to the access or use ofpersonal information. For instance, a user may be notified upondownloading an app that their personal information data will be accessedand then reminded again just before personal information data isaccessed by the app.

Moreover, it is the intent of the present disclosure that personalinformation data should be managed and handled in a way to minimizerisks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Risk can beminimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting data once itis no longer needed. In addition, and when applicable, including incertain health related applications, data de-identification can be usedto protect a user's privacy. De-identification may be facilitated, whenappropriate, by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth,etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of data stored (e.g.,collecting location data at a city level rather than at an addresslevel), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data acrossusers), and/or other methods.

Therefore, although the present disclosure broadly covers use ofpersonal information data to implement one or more various disclosedembodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that the variousembodiments can also be implemented without the need for accessing suchpersonal information data. That is, the various embodiments of thepresent technology are not rendered inoperable due to the lack of all ora portion of such personal information data. For example, content can beselected and delivered to users by inferring preferences based onnon-personal information data or a bare minimum amount of personalinformation, such as the content being requested by the deviceassociated with a user, other non-personal information available to thecontent delivery services, or publicly available information.

The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specificnomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the describedembodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art thatthe specific details are not required in order to practice the describedembodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the specificembodiments described herein are presented for purposes of illustrationand description. They are not targeted to be exhaustive or to limit theembodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to oneof ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations arepossible in view of the above teachings. Also, when used herein to referto positions of components, the terms above, below, over, under, left,or right (or other similar relative position terms), do not necessarilyrefer to an absolute position relative to an external reference, butinstead refer to the relative position of components within the figurebeing referred to. Similarly, horizontal and vertical orientations maybe understood as relative to the orientation of the components withinthe figure being referred to, unless an absolute horizontal or verticalorientation is indicated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable electronic device comprising: a frontcover; a rear cover; and a housing structure between and coupled to thefront cover and the rear cover, the housing structure comprising: afirst housing member defining: a first exterior side; a first interiorside opposite the first exterior side; a first end surface extendingbetween the first exterior side and the first interior side; a firstinterlock feature comprising a recess formed along the first endsurface; and a second interlock feature extending from the firstinterior side; a second housing member defining: a second exterior side;a second interior side opposite the second exterior side; a second endsurface extending between the second exterior side and the secondinterior side; a third interlock feature comprising a protrusion formedalong the second end surface; and a fourth interlock feature extendingfrom the second interior side; and a nonconductive joining elementengaged with the first interlock feature, the second interlock feature,the third interlock feature, and the fourth interlock feature, therebystructurally coupling the first housing member to the second housingmember.
 2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the firstinterlock feature is a recess having a depth between about 100 micronsand about 1000 microns.
 3. The portable electronic device of claim 1,wherein the first interlock feature is an elongate recess having a widthbetween about 100 microns and about 500 microns, and having a lengthbetween about 750 microns and about 3000 microns.
 4. The portableelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the first interlock feature is arecess having a width greater than about 100 microns and a lengthgreater than about 1000 microns.
 5. The portable electronic device ofclaim 1, wherein: the first housing member defines a flange extendingfrom the second interlock feature and positioned along a peripheral sideof the front cover; the flange defines a portion of the first endsurface; and the first interlock feature is formed in the portion of thefirst end surface defined by the flange.
 6. The portable electronicdevice of claim 5, wherein: the flange extends from the second interlockfeature along a direction; and the first interlock feature defines anelongate recess defined in part by a longitudinal axis extending alongthe direction.
 7. A portable electronic device comprising: a frontcover; a rear cover; and a housing structure between and coupled to thefront cover and the rear cover, the housing structure comprising: afirst housing member defining: a first portion of an exterior surface ofthe housing structure; and a first interlock feature; a second housingmember defining: a second portion of the exterior surface of the housingstructure; and a second interlock feature, the second housing member setapart from the first housing member by a channel defining: a firstregion extending inwardly from the exterior surface of the housingstructure along a first direction; and a second region extendinginwardly from the first region along a second direction that is notparallel to the first direction; and a nonconductive joining element atleast partially filling the channel and engaged with the first interlockfeature and the second interlock feature, thereby structurally couplingthe first housing member to the second housing member and defining athird portion of the exterior surface of the housing structure.
 8. Theportable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the second region of thechannel is at least partially defined by the first interlock feature andthe second interlock feature.
 9. The portable electronic device of claim7, wherein: the first interlock feature defines a first end surfacedefining a first wall of the second region of the channel; and thesecond interlock feature defines a second end surface defining a secondwall of the second region of the channel.
 10. The portable electronicdevice of claim 9, wherein the first end surface is parallel to thesecond end surface.
 11. The portable electronic device of claim 7,wherein: the first interlock feature defines a first lug; the secondinterlock feature defines a second lug; and a connector assembly isconductively coupled to the first interlock feature via the first lugand conductively coupled to the second interlock feature via the secondlug.
 12. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein: theconnector assembly is conductively coupled to the first interlockfeature via a first threaded fastener; and the connector assembly isconductively coupled to the second interlock feature via a secondthreaded fastener.
 13. The portable electronic device of claim 12,wherein: the connector assembly conductively couples the first housingmember to first antenna circuitry; and the connector assemblyconductively couples the second housing member to second antennacircuitry.
 14. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein theconnector assembly comprises: a first conductor configured toconductively couple the first housing member to the first antennacircuitry; a second conductor configured to conductively couple thesecond housing member to the second antenna circuitry; and a polymermaterial at least partially encapsulating the first conductor and thesecond conductor.
 15. A portable electronic device comprising: a frontcover; a rear cover; and a housing structure between and coupled to thefront cover and the rear cover, the housing structure comprising: afirst housing member defining: a first sidewall defining: a firstportion of an exterior surface of the portable electronic device; and afirst end surface; and a first interlock feature extending from thefirst sidewall and defining a second end surface extending at a firstangle from the first end surface; a second housing member defining: asecond sidewall defining: a second portion of the exterior surface ofthe portable electronic device; and a third end surface; and a secondinterlock feature extending from the second sidewall and defining afourth end surface extending at a second angle from the third endsurface; and a nonconductive joining element at least partially fillinga channel defined by the first end surface, the second end surface, thethird end surface, and the fourth end surface, and engaged with thefirst interlock feature and the second interlock feature, therebystructurally coupling the first housing member to the second housingmember.
 16. The portable electronic device of claim 15, wherein: thefirst end surface is parallel to the third end surface; and the secondend surface is parallel to the fourth end surface.
 17. The portableelectronic device of claim 15, further comprising: a connector assemblyconductively coupled to the first interlock feature and the secondinterlock feature; and a flexible circuit element conductively coupledto the connector assembly.
 18. The portable electronic device of claim17, wherein: the first housing member is conductively coupled to firstantenna circuitry via the connector assembly and the flexible circuitelement; and the second housing member is conductively coupled to secondantenna circuitry via the connector assembly and the flexible circuitelement.
 19. The portable electronic device of claim 18, wherein: theportable electronic device further comprises a frame member coupled tothe rear cover and configured to receive a camera module; and theflexible circuit element is positioned in a gap defined by the framemember and the first housing member.
 20. A portable electronic devicecomprising: a front cover; a rear cover; and a housing structure betweenand coupled to the front cover and the rear cover, the housing structurecomprising: a first housing member defining: a first exterior side; afirst interior side opposite the first exterior side; a first endsurface extending between the first exterior side and the first interiorside; a first interlock feature comprising a first protrusion formedalong the first end surface; and a second interlock feature extendingfrom the first interior side; a second housing member defining: a secondexterior side; a second interior side opposite the second exterior side;a second end surface extending between the second exterior side and thesecond interior side; a third interlock feature comprising a secondprotrusion formed along the second end surface; and a fourth interlockfeature extending from the second interior side; and a nonconductivejoining element engaged with the first interlock feature, the secondinterlock feature, the third interlock feature, and the fourth interlockfeature, thereby structurally coupling the first housing member to thesecond housing member.
 21. The portable electronic device of claim 20,wherein the second housing member is set apart from the first housingmember by a channel defining: a first region extending inwardly from thefirst exterior side of the first housing member along a first direction;and a second region extending inwardly from the first region along asecond direction that is not parallel to the first direction.
 22. Theportable electronic device of claim 21, wherein the second region of thechannel is at least partially defined by the second interlock featureand the fourth interlock feature.
 23. A portable electronic devicecomprising: a front cover; a rear cover; and a housing structure betweenand coupled to the front cover and the rear cover, the housing structurecomprising: a first housing member defining: a first exterior side; afirst interior side opposite the first exterior side; a first endsurface extending between the first exterior side and the first interiorside; a first interlock feature extending from the first interior side;a flange extending from the first interlock feature and positioned alonga peripheral side of the front cover, the flange defining a portion ofthe first end surface; and a second interlock feature positioned alongthe portion of the first end surface defined by the flange; a secondhousing member defining: a second exterior side; a second interior sideopposite the second exterior side; a second end surface extendingbetween the second exterior side and the second interior side; a thirdinterlock feature formed along the second end surface; and a fourthinterlock feature extending from the second interior side; and anonconductive joining element engaged with the first interlock feature,the second interlock feature, the third interlock feature, and thefourth interlock feature, thereby structurally coupling the firsthousing member to the second housing member.
 24. The portable electronicdevice of claim 23, wherein: the flange extends from the first interlockfeature along a direction; and the second interlock feature defines anelongate recess defined in part by a longitudinal axis extending alongthe direction.
 25. The portable electronic device of claim 23, whereinthe second housing member is set apart from the first housing member bya channel defining: a first region extending inwardly from the firstexterior side of the first housing member along a first direction; and asecond region extending inwardly from the first region along a seconddirection that is not parallel to the first direction.